DETURKSVILLE - Hegins and Pine Grove left the Washington Township Baseball Park a little disappointed Wednesday evening.
They will have to return there today at noon to continue their Schuylkill County Teener League Senior Division first-round playoff game that was suspended due to darkness.
Hegins and Pine Grove are locked in a 3-3 draw after seven complete innings.
"I think we could have gotten another inning in," Pine Grove head coach Wes Levan said. "The safety for the kids is more important though."
No. 4 Pine Grove (14-4) will get another chance today to complete a surging comeback that began in the bottom of the third frame.
Fifth-seeded Hegins (12-6) led 3-1 when Pine Grove's Jake Schaeffer drew a walk and advanced directly to third on an overthrown pickoff attempt.
Ryan Wolfe followed with a single to right field to plate Schaeffer, cutting the Hegins lead to one.
Pine Grove tied the game in the fifth inning when Mark Weinus drew a walk, went to third on another overthrow and scored on an RBI groundout by Wolfe.
Pine Grove's second two
runs originated from walks. All three of Hegins' runs came from walks.
"It's hard to win ball games when you're giving up that many walks," Levan said. "We should have won this game."
Hegins scored all of its runs in the top of the second inning, as Pine Grove starter Weinus walked the No. 7, 8 and 9 hitters to open the frame. Weinus walked six batters in his 1.2 innings on the hill.
Hunter Herb made Weinus pay for the walks two batters later, delivering a bases-clearing double to right field that put Hegins ahead 3-1. Herb battled through a nine-pitch at-bat before connecting for his clutch hit.
"Herb had a really good at-bat there," Hegins head coach Shawn Masser said. "He hung tough and finally got into one."
Hegins had its chances, leaving the bases loaded against Weinus in the first inning and against reliever Austin Fick in the sixth inning.
Fick had a lot in common with Weinus. Along with pitching out of jams, Fick also walked five Hegins batters.
Weinus and Fick stranded 11 total Hegins baserunners throughout the contest.
"They both throw hard," Levan said of his pitching staff. "They are confident enough to get themselves out of jams."
Masser had a different outlook upon the stranded baserunners.
"We didn't capitalize on anything," Masser said. "We couldn't get hits with runners on."
Pine Grove gained small amounts of momentum throughout the game because they were able to pitch out of key situations.
After stranding the three runners in the top of the first, Pine Grove came out and scored to go ahead early in the bottom of the frame.
Logan Levan reached on an error, stole second base and scored on Fick's single to shallow left field.
In a game of who makes the last mistake, both coaches were also a little glad that their respective teams would be given a chance to play again on a new day.
The winner will visit Frackville in a winners' bracket game Friday. The loser will host Hope's Collision in an elimination game Friday.
"We get another chance," Levan said. "We'll come back with some new life."
Added Masser: "We made some mistakes in the field. Luckily we get to play again."
Schuylkill Haven 2 Shenandoah 0
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Danny Blugis tossed a four-hit shutout and struck out 13 as Schuylkill Haven blanked Shenandoah in a first-round contest.
Twelve of Blugis' whiffs came in the first six innings. He did not walk a batter, allowing four singles.
Blugis also delivered an RBI double in the sixth inning for No. 2 Schuylkill Haven, which hosts () in Friday's second round. Haven's first run scored on a double steal in the second inning.
Losing pitcher Ian McCole pitched well in defeat, allowing just four hits and striking out eight.
Frackville 9 Hope's Collision 3
FRACKVILLE - Ryan Hillbish went 4-for-4 with a pair of RBIs as top-seeded Frackville rolled past No. 8 Hope's Collision at Memorial Park.
Tevin Murray added three hits and four RBIs and Jordan Marlow collected a double and triple for Frackville, which hosts ... in Friday's winners' bracket round.
Murray was the winning pitcher, striking out seven in six innings. Bobby Grigas pitched an inning of scoreless relief, striking out the side.
Game Summary