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Barons Claim First District 3 Baseball Title

Manheim Central Barons 2022 District Three Class 5A Champions

Photo by Cheri Sine

BY ERIC PYLES

There is an old saying that goes ‘sometimes it is better to be lucky rather than good.’ That saying does not apply to the Manheim Central baseball team. Sure, they are good, you do not compile a 22-3 mark and reach the PIAA playoffs without being good. And the luck part, you can chalk some of those wins up to luck but again, you do not get to 22-3 on just luck, even if you have five straight come from behind or walk-off post season wins.

Their most recent victory may have come in the first round of the PIAA-5A tourney but Central’s 2-1 win over Ephrata on June 2nd was much more important as it secured the team’s first ever District 3 title.

“A great day and memories these guys will have forever!” said head coach Jason Thompson.

The win was Manheim’s fourth of the district playoffs, all of them the come from behind variety.

“Super proud of the guys fight in the district tournament, there was never any panic,” Thompson said.

That calmness allowed the Barons to outlast Ephrata via a 2-1 final with Manheim plating both of their runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, flipping a 1-0 hole into a 2-1 cushion. From there it was just a matter of hanging on as Connor Rohrer was able to keep Ephrata in check save for a lone third inning run. Jared Murray closed the game out by securing the final out via strikeout, giving the win to Rohrer while collecting the save for himself.

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“Connor pitched an amazing game and gutted it out,” said Thompson, “and then it was awesome to see Murray come in and close it out for us.”

The pair combined for 10 strikeouts, two walks and allowed just three hits and that one earned run. That pitching performance allowed the Baron’s lone rally to be just enough. Collin Neiles led off the frame with a single. Ky Watson and Mason Weaver loaded the bases with singles of their own. Brady Harbach took advantage and lofted one to right field, allowing Ty Clugston, a courtesy runner for Neiles, to tie the game at 1-1. Nolan Book moved Manheim into the lead on the very next pitch with a single to right that scored Watson. The short rally ended there but Rohrer and Murry ensured the lead would stand.

Riding high from the District 3-5A title, the Barons turned their attention to the PIAA playoffs and their firstround opponent, Marple Newton. The result was a back-and-forth game where Manheim needed another bottom of the seventh rally to pull out a victory, this one by a 9-8 final on June 6th.

“We talk about riding the wave in the playoffs,” said Thompson. “There will be ups and downs and we continue to stay mentally tough and positive.”

Central’s resolve allowed them to counter two separate Tiger rallies with rallies of their own, including the game winning three run burst in the bottom of the seventh. Harbach kicked things off with a single, Book was clipped by a pitch to put two on with no outs. Collin Thompson pushed courtesy runner Chase Travitz across to make it an 8-7 game. Manheim hit a bump with their first out but quickly rebounded with another free pass, this one by Andrew Harrison. That brought Dylan Yoder to the plate, and he delivered the game winning hit, plating another courtesy runner, Clugston and Thompson, setting the 9-8 final. Thompson topped the victory with a nice bow, saying, “Super proud of their resolve and perseverance.”

The scoring started back in the second with another three run Manheim burst courtesy of Neiles and his bases loaded double. After watching the Tigers score three in the top of the third, Central went back to work. This time it was Cayde Connelly providing the spark with a one run double that that made it 4-3. A Marple Newtown wild pitch pushed Central’s lead to 5-3.

The Tigers came back with another three-run burst, this one in the top of the fifth, putting Manheim down 6-5. Connelly answered the call again, this time with a single to left that made it a 6-6 game. That set the stage for a crazy seventh that saw Marple Newtown take an 8-6 lead only to have Manheim enjoy their second three-run rally, this one securing the one-run victory.

Murray got the start and finished with a no decision after four and two-third innings. Connelly covered the next four outs on 30 pitches, leaving the final frame and victory to Rohrer. The trio combined for six strikeouts and four walks while surrendering 11 hits and eight runs.

VOLLEYBALL

Central’s other remaining PIAA playoff participant, the boys’ volleyball team, was unable to keep their season alive, falling to Christopher Dock Mennonite Academy by a 3-0 count on the 4th. Despite falling by scores of 25-15, 2725 and 25-20, head coach Craig Dietrich had “Zero Frustration” when asked about falling in the PIAA-2A quarterfinals for the fourth year in a row.

“This group wasn’t picked to win the section and get out of districts and here we were the last L-L team standing,” Deitrich stated.

Even with an extremely tight second game and a close third game, momentum swinging plays were hard to come by for the Barons.

“I thought once we played our game in the 2nd set, we had an opportunity at game point but missed a serve,” said Deitrich. “We made too many hitting and serving errors to overcome that.”

The result left Central’s key players well off their pace. Dylan Musser had 12 assists to go with four blocks and two digs. Barend Oostdam finished with five kills, two blocks and one assist. Jacob Moyer and Josh Dippel combined for 11 kills while Trent Groff had three digs, two kills, one ace and one block. Reagan Miller added three digs.

Photo by Cheri Sine

Manheim starter and winner, Connor Rohrer, delivers a pitch in the Barons’ 2-1 victory over Ephrata in the District Three 5A championship final at Earl Wenger Field on June 2.

Photo by Cheri Sine

First baseman Collin Thompson reaches for the pickoff throw as Ephrata’s Drew Hurst dives safely back to the bag in the Barons’ 2-1 win in June 2’s District Three Class 5A final in Fredericksburg.

Photo by Cheri Sine

Ty Clugston breaks for third base in Manheim’s 2-1 victory over Ephrata in the District Three 5A Championship at Earl Wenger Field in Fredericksburg on June 2.

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