Schuylkill League Baseball Championship Capsule Preview
Blue Mountain (17-4) vs. Pottsville (17-4)
When/Where: Today, 7 p.m., Stump Stadium, Pine Grove
Tickets: $5 adults, $3 students
How they got here: Division I wild card Blue Mountain defeated Schuylkill Haven 5-1 in Tuesday’s semifinals. Division I champion Pottsville downed Division III champion Marian 6-2 in Tuesday’s semifinals.
Previous meetings this season: Division I rivals split their two regular-season meetings, with Pottsville winning 9-2 on April 7 in Orwigsburg and Blue Mountain winning 5-3 on April 27 at Steidle Field.
About the Eagles
Head coach: Tom Kramer (23rd season)
League playoff history (since 2008): Eagles in the league title game for the first time since defeating Williams Valley 8-1 in 2010. Also qualified for the league playoffs in 2011 as the Division I champion, but the playoffs were postponed after a week of rain.
Projected lineup: CF Adam Hull, sr. (.436, 31 H, 27 RS, 5 2B, 8 SB, 12 RBIs); SS Dean Stramara, sr. (.400, 26 H, 13 RS, 7 2B, 16 RBIs); P Sean Greenawalt, sr. (.343, 23 H, 13 RS, 19 RBIs; pitching — 6-1, 3.21 ERA, 31 Ks); 2B Troy Moyer, sr. (.318, 14 H); LF Justin Hammer, soph./DH Zach Martin, sr. (.328, 19 H, 18 RBIs); 3B Robbie Oliver, jr. (.323, 10 H); C Dave Kyslinger, sr. (.263, 15 H, 11 RBIs); 1B Austin Krammes, sr. (.326, 15 H, 10 RS, 12 RBIs); RF Jack Barton, sr. (.286, 12 H, 11 RS).
Notes: Eagles pounded out 13 hits in semifinal victory over Schuylkill Haven, the most since a 6-1 win over Lehighton on April 2. … The top three hitters in Blue Mountain’s lineup — Hull, Stramara, Greenawalt — have been on a tear of late and combined for six hits in semifinals. … Greenawalt was the winning pitcher in Blue Mountain’s victory over Pottsville, scattering seven hits, allowing three runs, walking three and striking out six in 6.1 innings. He gets the ball tonight. ... Eagles have won four straight. ... Since 2009, Blue Mountain is 6-1 in playoff games at Stump Stadium, winning the last five.
About the Crimson Tide
Head coach: Mike Welsh (5th season)
League playoff history (since 2008): Pottsville is looking to become the first team to repeat as Schuylkill League champion since the playoffs returned for the 2009 season. Crimson Tide have qualified for league playoffs four times in last five years.
Projected lineup: SS Travis Blankenhorn, sr. (.479, 34 H, 36 RS, 6 2B, 5 3B, 6 HR, 10 SB, 23 RBIs); 2B Ty Painter, sr. (.353, 24 H, 20 RS, 7 2B, 16 RBIs); CF Darion Jacoby, soph. (.420, 29 H, 27 RS, 6 2B, 2 HR, 13 SB, 31 RBIs); P Eli Nabholz (.385, 25 H, 7 2B, 26 RBIs; pitching — 7-0, 0.95 ERA, 57 Ks); C Connor Hinchliffe, sr. (.317, 19 H, 5 2B, 10 RBIs); LF Brandon Daubert, jr. (.250, 15 H, 12 RBIs); 1B Mike O’Pake, jr./DH Gavin Hinchliffe, soph. (.283, 15 H, 14 RS); RF Eric Wapinsky, soph. (.295, 13 H, 12 RS); 3B Trent Barnes, jr. (.185).
Notes: Crimson Tide went with pitcher-by-committee plan in semifinal win over Marian, as junior J.J. Spehrley went first 3.1, Nabholz pitched 1.2 and Blankenhorn tossed final two innings. Nabholz will get the ball today. ... Nabholz was the winning pitcher in Pottsville’s first meeting with Blue Mountain, giving up five hits and two runs with four walks and eight strikeouts over five innings. ... Blankenhorn hit a two-run homer in the first meeting, and hit another two-run homer in Tuesday’s semifinals. ... Crimson Tide have won seven straight. ... Winner of tonight’s game is the No. 1 seed in the District 11 Class AAA playoffs and will host Palmerton in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. The loser will be the No. 3 seed and host Palisades in the quarterfinals.
— Compiled by Leroy Boyer