TodayBlackhawks’ fate to be decided today
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Article RatingIf the rivalry between West Perry and Susquenita was looking for a reason to grow more intense, it found one.
Persistent rain in the greater Harrisburg area Friday forced the game between the Perry County schools, which was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Commerce Bank Park on City Island, to be postponed to today.
That the teams are meeting for the sixth time in two years is only a minimal factor as to why this afternoon’s game, set for 1 p.m. at the all-artificial turf infield that is Palmyra’s In The Net complex, is so important.
The Blackhawks are 9-10, one win shy of qualifying for the District 3 Class AAA playoffs. Throw in the fact that today is the final day to qualify for the postseason and the game makes the jump from the realm of rivalries into the do-or-die spectrum.
Governor Mifflin athletic director and District 3 baseball chairman Patrick Tulley confirmed Friday afternoon that, as long as the game is completed, it will count toward the district playoffs.
Translation: If Susquenita wins, it stays alive. If it loses or the game can’t be played because of rain, its season is over.
“We had practice tonight and I don’t know if it’s because we’re young but (the players) didn’t seem like they were nervous. They were full of energy,” Susquenita coach Bryon Wilson said. “They know what type of game it is.”
Since the calendar flipped to May, the Blackhawks have won four of their last five games, including one-run wins over Waynesboro and Northern, to put themselves in position to make the district field.
“I thought we were capable of winning 10 games but I didn’t think we’d do it this way (by beating the two Mid-Penn Colonial powers),” Wilson said. “I really thought we’d get 10 wins but when we were 2-7 I didn’t think we’d have any chance.”
The Blackhawks (9-10, 5-6 Colonial) dipped five games under .500 following an ugly 10-0, six-inning loss to eventual division champion Shippensburg on April 17.
That result turned out to be an exception to the rule. Five of Susquenita’s losses have come by fewer than two runs, including a 6-5, nine-inning loss to West Perry in the Perry County Tournament final March 29.
“With the exception of two games, we’ve been in every game,” Wilson said. “We weren’t playing terrible and getting blown away. We were losing tight games. When we won a couple close games things started going our way. Hopefully they go our way (Saturday).”
As fate would have it, Susquenita’s future depends on what it does against the Mustangs (12-7, 5-6).
It was only five days after that extra-inning loss to West Perry that the Blackhawks returned the favor in a big way via a six-inning, 14-3 win.
“You always want to beat your rival and always want to play well against your rival,” West Perry coach Jeff Sanno said. “The last game we didn’t. We played very poor defensively and that didn’t allow us to play to our capabilities. (Susquenita) played very well.”
The Mustangs won their 10th game and qualified for the district playoffs April 29 but followed that with an 8-6 loss to Shippensburg in a game they led, 6-0, heading to the seventh inning Monday. Two days later Bishop McDevitt fended off a late Mustangs rally for a 3-1 win.
West Perry got back on its feet with a one-day sweep of Carson Long Military Institute and Millersburg on Thursday afternoon.
Sanno used only two pitchers Thursday, which sets him up to throw staff ace Kory Mann (4-3, 2.60 ERA) today.
“The kids and myself have a lot of confidence in Kory,” Sanno said. “He’s gone out there all year and has done a great job. I’m sure we’ll see another quality effort from him (today).”
Susquenita will counter with Kyle Gilbert (6-2, 3.63), who has won his last four starts and beat the Mustangs on April 3 for the Susquenita’s first win over West Perry since 1998.
“We’re definitely playing at the highest level since I’ve been here,” said Wilson, in his third year as head coach at Susquenita. “This is the most intense and excited that I’ve seen the kids. Whenever we have Kyle or David (Bauer) on the mound our kids play with a real sense of confidence.”
