Douglas Walks Off With 3-2 Victory Over Northeast

Great teams find many ways to win baseball games, even if they do it without recording any hits.

Pinch-hitter Michael Greenberg’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning pushed Chris Pannell across the plate for the deciding run as Douglas came from behind to edge Northeast 3-2 in Friday’s Group 5 contest of the HSBN/Perfect Recruit Fall Classic played at Davis Field at Northeast High.

As the game had exceeded its maximum time limit, the game was called once Pannell crossed home plate.

The Eagles improved to 2-0 in the opening round of the tournament, while Northeast dropped to 1-1.

“We didn’t have many chances, but we found a way to win,” Douglas coach Todd Fitz-Gerald said. “We had to get a guy on base first, and we didn’t do much of that. I tip my cap to their pitcher.”

Hurricanes starter Corey Korenic was solid against the powerful Eagles lineup, throwing 110 pitches with six strikeouts while pitching into the sixth inning. Korenic did not surrender a hit, although he did walk seven batters.

“When he’s throwing, we have a chance to beat anybody,” Northeast assistant coach Drew Phillips said. “He gives us an opportunity to compete.”

But the Hurricanes’ offense managed just two hits on the night, while the defense caused four errors.

“We have to make plays behind us,” Northeast coach Kevin Carney said.

The Eagles began their comeback in the third inning when they pushed Brandon Dreichler across on a missed pop fly to pull within 2-1. But Pannell was caught out trying to score on a perfect relay that surprised him a few feet from the plate, allowing backup catcher Michael Grosfield to run him down for the final out of the inning.

Douglas tied it at 2 in the bottom of the fourth when Matt Davis drove in Luis Silverio on a sacrifice fly.

The game nearly took a turn for the worse after a tense moment during the top of the second inning. Northeast catcher Danny Swanson was hit by a pitch but was not awarded the base as the umpire ruled he had leaned into the inside pitch. Douglas starter Austin Kramer hit Swanson in the head with the next pitch. Swanson took exception and charged a few feet towards the pitcher’s mound and both dugouts emptied onto the playing field. Both coaches settled their players down, and they went on to play a clean, competitive contest.

“Players need to keep a level head and play the game within the game and let the coach deal with that stuff,” Fitz-Gerald said. “That’s not how we do it here; we play baseball. It was a good game after that.”

Carney said he would rather remove his players from the field than allow unacceptable behavior.

“If the guys act crazy, sometimes you’ve got to act crazier,” Carney said.

Swanson was ejected from the game, and the Hurricanes were forced to call on emergency catcher Osman Lopez after Grosfield left with a hand injury.

The tense moment worked as a rallying factor for Northeast.

“That woke our whole team up,” Phillips said. “Corey got fired up and was really focusing and we challenged them after that.”

Korenic struck out the first two batters he faced to start the following inning, tossing a second scoreless frame. Then his offense responded to stake him a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Anthony Horvat singled to lead off and came around to score on an error. Eduardo Uriarte followed on a fielder’s choice RBI from Korenic.

Kramer did not allow but one other baserunner during his four innings of work. He tossed 55 pitches, recording seven strikeouts while throwing 36 strikes.

Reliever Ryan Thomas came on with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth after Austin Ligons was hit by a pitch and Andrew Gross and Brandon Vogel drew walks. But Thomas struck out the final two hitters to escape the jam and earn the victory.

“That was the shifter for us,” Fitz-Gerald said.

Both teams finish their first-round play Saturday with Douglas facing Coral Glades in the matinee of the doubleheader and Northeast playing Monarch in the late game.

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