SWIFTWATER — In a perfect world, a team’s defense should run like a well-oiled machine.
That machine breaks down when a defense starts committing errors, usually causing runs to score and sometimes costing the team the game.
That was the lesson Nativity learned the hard way Saturday at Pocono Mountain East High School.
The Hilltoppers fell 9-4 to Pius X, allowing four runs on as many errors, and giving up a back-breaking three-run homer to Cam Kichline in the sixth inning of a District 11 Class A semifinal.
The errors came early, with two in the first and two in the fourth, giving the Royals their first four runs and essentially helping them stick around in a game that was knotted 4-4 by the middle of the sixth.
Aided by Kichline’s three-run shot, Pius X used a five-run bottom of the sixth to cruise into Wednesday’s final at Coca-Cola Park. The second-seeded Royals (12-7) will face fourth-seeded Tri-Valley at 6:30 p.m. The Dawgs defeated top-seeded Marian 8-2.
“We just started out a little shaky,” Nativity coach Chris Polm said. “We had a couple errors in the field and gave them some runs.
“They earned it, though,’’ he added. “They took advantage of our mistakes early, and even though we had a lead the first couple innings, it still felt like we were playing catch-up the whole time.”
Jeff Yordy led the Hilltoppers’ offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and picking up his 100th career hit on a double in the sixth.
Yordy was also the starting pitcher, allowing seven runs, three earned, on four hits over 5.1 innings.
“Jeff’s one of the best players I’ve ever coached in my life,” Polm said. “It did not surprise me that he came up big today with the bat, and I thought he pitched a decent game, too, but mistakes were made. That’s the way baseball is.”
Marcus Renninger, who finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, gave Nativity (13-8) a 1-0 lead in the first with a single and had a sacrifice fly that tied the game in the sixth.
The Royals tallied two unearned runs in the first when the Nativity center fielder and right fielder collided on a routine popup.
The Hilltoppers tied it in the second on an RBI single by Michael Winter and took the lead in the third on Andrew Belding’s sac fly.
Pius X took a 4-3 lead in the fourth on two more errors.
Kichline finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Royals.
“Our mission since the beginning of the year, with the school closing, was to win another District 11 title, so we could end with a bang,” Pius X coach Rocco Vonelli said. “We’re not done.
“It’s going to give this school one last thing to remember if we can go out as a district or state champion,” he added.
Game Summary
District 11 Class A Semifinal
At Pocono Mtn. East H.S.
NATIVITY (4) — Hunyara ss 5 0 1 0, Piccioni cf 4 1 1 0, Yordy p-3b 3 2 3 0, McGovern 1b 3 0 1 0, Adams pr 0 0 0 0, Renninger 2b 4 0 3 2, DiNicola lf 3 0 0 0, Belding c 4 0 2 1, Burke cr 0 1 0 0, White 3b-p 4 0 0 0, Winter rf 3 0 1 1. Totals 33 4 12 4.
PIUS X (9) — Plante ss 4 1 1 0, Farina cf 4 0 0 1, Ca. Kichline c 4 2 3 3, Beck p-rf 3 1 0 0, Savelli 3b 2 1 0 0, Winchilla lf 1 2 0 0, LaBar rf-p 3 0 1 0, Rosenberg 1b 2 1 0 0, Co. Kichline 2b 3 1 1 1. Totals 26 9 6 5.
Nativity (13-8) 111 001 0 — 4
Pius X (12-7) 200 205 x — 9
E — Nativity 4, Pius X 1. DP — Nativity 1. LOB — Nativity 13, Pius X 4. 2B — Piccioni, Yordy. HR — Ca. Kichline. SB — Adams. CS — Ca. Kichline. S — White. SF — McGovern, Renninger, Belding, Farina.
Nativity IP H R ER BB K
Yordy L,4-1 5.1 4 7 3 3 2
White .2 2 2 2 0 0
Pius X IP H R ER BB K
Beck 5 9 3 3 2 3
LaBar W 2 3 1 1 1 1
HBP — by LaBar (Piccioni), by Yordy (Savelli, Winchilla). WP — Beck. PB — Belding. T — 2:08.