NEW PHILADELPHIA — The players of Saint Clair/Port Carbon/New Philadelphia might have thought in the top of the sixth inning that Jake Kuperavage’s second home run would be enough.
It was — barely.
Orwigsburg rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but SPN withstood the threat and came away with a 9-8 win in Saturday’s District 24 11-12-year-old quarterfinal at James S. Clark Field.
The victory advances SPN to today’s semifinals, where it will host Schuylkill Haven at 5:30 p.m. Haven defeated Minersville 9-7 on Saturday.
SPN had to turn back an Orwigsburg team that would not go quietly.
“That’s just two very good teams, two well-coached teams. They’ve got some studs we had to watch, had to pitch around,” SPN manager Gerry Kuperavage said.
SPN achieved the goal with some success, but Orwigsburg could not find a way to get SPN catcher Jake Kuperavage out.
His home run in the first inning gave SPN a 3-0 lead. Then, after the teams were tied at 6-6, his second home run to center field put SPN, the visiting team after the pregame coin flip, ahead 9-6.
For the game, Jake Kuperavage went 3-for-3 with a walk, three runs scored and six RBIs.
The second home run left the final three outs in the hands of SPN reliever John Holobetz.
In the bottom of the sixth, he got a groundout, but Brady Bedway and Billy Gerlott hit back-to-back singles.
Orwigsburg’s Alex Tidmore then hit a line drive to right-center field. The ball was dropped to load the bases.
Gerry Kuperavage turned to Riley Stanton to relieve Holobetz.
“Boots has been through the wars. He’s played travel ball. He’s played championship games in Little League,” Kuperavage said of Stanton.
Stanton walked Peyton Hashin, who had hit a two-run home run in the third, to force in one run and slice the SPN lead to 9-7.
Orwigsburg’s Caden Eichert then lifted a fly ball to deep right for a sacrifice fly to plate Gerlott, narrowing the gap to 9-8.
“He missed it by a quarter of an inch,” Orwigsburg manager Brandon Steely said. “A little bit more carry there, we’re walking off the winners.”
Stanton then retired Mike Myro on a comebacker to the mound for the final out.
It was a tense finish after SPN appeared in control.
Kuperavage’s first-inning home run lifted SPN to a 4-0 lead that eventually became 5-1 in the third.
But Gerlott, who relieved starting pitcher Hashin in the opening inning, found his rhythm and eventually struck out eight in five innings of work.
Orwigsburg took advantage by rallying.
Hashin’s home run trimmed the gap to 5-3.
Orwigsburg then grabbed a 6-5 lead with three runs, all with two outs, in the fourth. After an RBI single by Lorenzo Valenti and a single by Preston Sincavage, Gerlott clubbed a two-run double.
“That was a coaching mistake there,” Gerry Kuperavage said of the decision to challenge Gerlott, who finished with two doubles and a single.
Jake Kuperavage got the tying run for SPN in the fifth when he walked, advanced on a groundout and came around to score on two passed balls.
That set up a wild sixth.
After Gerlott got the first out, he was replaced by Tidmore on the mound because he had met the maximum 85-pitch limit.
Tidmore got the second out, but Holobetz walked and Dylan Shirey reached on an infield error.
Jake Kuperavage then lined Tidmore’s first pitch quickly out of the ballpark for the 9-6 lead that turned out to be just enough.
SPN has little time to enjoy Saturday’s win, though, with Schuylkill Haven coming to New Philadelphia today.
Gerry Kuperavage had little doubt SPN will answer the call.
“They’re resilient. They’re definitely resilient,” he said.
Game Summary
District 24 11-12 Quarterfinal At New Philadelphia
SPN (4-1) 401 013 — 9 8 1
Orw. (3-2) 012 302 — 8 12 3
Rupert, Holobetz (4), Stanton (6) and Kuperavage; Hashin, Gerlott (1), Tidmore (6) and Sincavage, Bedway (5). W — Holobetz. L — Tidmore.
HITS: Saint Clair/Port Carbon/New Philadelphia — Stanton, Holobetz, Kuperavage 3, Cook, Adamick, McClure. Orwigsburg — Valenti, Sincavage, Gerlott 3, Tidmore, Hashin 2, Eichert, Grace, Bedway, Myro.
2B — Cook, Gerlott 2, Myro. HR — Kuperavage 2, Hashin.