{"id":15057,"date":"2015-06-14T14:36:05","date_gmt":"2015-06-14T14:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/independentweekender.com\/?p=15057"},"modified":"2015-06-14T14:36:05","modified_gmt":"2015-06-14T14:36:05","slug":"decker-paces-blue-ridge-for-first-round-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/2015\/06\/14\/decker-paces-blue-ridge-for-first-round-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Decker paces Blue Ridge for first-round win"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY HERB SMITH<\/strong>
\n Times-Shamrock Writer<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Blue<\/a>

Blue Ridge pitcher Jake Decker takes control in the seventh inning against Montgomery on Wednesday afternoon in Scranton. Butch Comegys \/ Staff Photographer<\/p><\/div>\n

Jake Decker pitched well enough to keep his team in the game. And when Blue Ridge needed a hit, he delivered at the plate.<\/p>\n

The sophomore allowed one earned run, struck out nine and cracked a two-run single to push the Raiders ahead in the fifth inning as Blue Ridge defeated Montgomery, 3-2, in the first round of the PIAA Class A baseball playoffs Wednesday at Connell Park in Scranton.<\/p>\n

Blue Ridge will play Lancaster County Christian, the champions from District 3, in the quarterfinals today at 4 p.m. at Walter Stump Stadium in Pine Grove.<\/p>\n

\"BUTCH<\/a>

BUTCH COMEGYS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Blue Ridge shortstop Derek Stento reaches for a pop up against Montgomery.<\/p><\/div>\n

Montgomery pushed across a run in the first inning. Keanu Sauers reached on an error to lead off the game. Sauers advanced to second on a bad pickoff attempt and then stole third. Ray Farr singled on a groundball to left and Sauers scored to give the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n

Blue Ridge put runners on base in three of the first four innings but could not get a big hit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just weren\u2019t being aggressive enough,\u201d Blue Ridge coach Billy Marvin said. \u201cThat\u2019s all it came down to is we were up there kind of watching. And I just asked them to please be aggressive. If you go down swinging, that\u2019s okay. Go up and be aggressive and we started hitting some early fastballs for base hits and it opened it up for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montgomery starter Matt Miller kept Blue Ridge scoreless through the first four innings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was getting nervous,\u201d Decker said. \u201cIt was around the fourth or fifth inning and we weren\u2019t getting anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evan Aldrich and Nick Folk had back-to-back singles to lead off the fifth for Blue Ridge. Victor Armondi followed with a sacrifice bunt. Miller fielded the ball and threw to third to try to get the lead runner. But Aldrich slid in safely and Blue Ridge had the bases loaded with no outs. After a fly out to shallow center that could not advance the runners, Decker hit a single in front of the center fielder Zach Shadle. Shadle charged the ball but it skipped under his glove and rolled to the wall allowing all three runners to score.<\/p>\n

\"Montgomery's<\/a>

Montgomery’s Keanu Sauers dives safely back to the bag as Blue Ridge first baseman Evan Aldrich applies a late tag on Wednesday. Butch Comegys \/ Staff Photographer<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI was trying to get a base hit; to make contact,\u201d Decker said.<\/p>\n

He finished with a pair of singles in three at-bats.<\/p>\n

\u201cJake competes,\u201d Marvin said. \u201cIt\u2019s no surprise he had the big hit today. Jake\u2019s here to win baseball games and he\u2019s a great kid. He\u2019s so much fun to coach. I expected him to get a big hit there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montgomery got the first two runners on base in the sixth inning on a single and an error. Decker struck out the next two batters but walked Jacob Umpstead to load the bases with two outs. He rebounded to strike out the next hitter to end the threat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kind of push through it,\u201d Decker said. \u201cWhen I get guys on base, I think about the mechanics I need to use to get them out. Of course it\u2019s really nervous for our guys when the other team gets on base but I try to work through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He worked through more trouble in the seventh inning. Sauers and Thomas Goetz hit singles to lead off the inning. Then Farr popped up to Kalieb Scheideler at second base. Scheideler caught the ball and quickly fired to first to get Goetz out. Michael Alexander followed with a single to score Sauers but Decker got the next batter to ground out to third base to end the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe gutted it out,\u201d Marvin said. \u201cHe believes in his defense and for the most part he let the defense play today. For him to get a state playoff win as a sophomore is great. It\u2019s good for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Decker allowed seven hits, two runs and walked three in the complete-game victory and Evan Aldrich went 2 for 2 with a double and a run scored for the Raiders.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just having a great time,\u201d Marvin said. \u201cWe want to go play a good ballgame tomorrow. We\u2019ll see what we can do pitching-wise tomorrow. We get to play another day. That\u2019s awesome. I wouldn\u2019t want it to be any other way right now.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY HERB SMITH Times-Shamrock Writer Jake Decker pitched well enough to keep his team in the game. 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