Canton, OH - On a holiday week, everyone gets their days messed up. Is it Friday? Wednesday? Who really knows? For the Gilmour Academy Lancers out of Gates Mills, Ohio, today might as well have been Munday, as in Parker Munday, the Kenston lefty that left batters talking to themselves as they retreated to the first base dugout. There wasn't much offense to be had for either side, as Gilmour starter William Kay kept the Bombers at bay for much of the afternoon.
Both teams line the base lines for the playing of the national anthem
The Lancers were the first team to get on the board, translating a 2nd inning lead off double by Tilman Moe into an RBI, with back-to-back walks to the 8 and 9 hole hitters loading the bases before Thomas McCrone was able to get an RBI single up the middle. The Lancers looked to be in business for more, but a baserunning blunder on McCrone's single, with the runner rounding third a little too aggressively and the throw from the cutoff man going behind him to 3rd ending the threat.
The Bombers looked to get on the board in the bottom half of the second inning themselves, and got the carousel started with Parker Munday helping his own cause with a 1 out single. Next to bat was Nikko Georgiou, who sent a Kay offering to the left center gap for a double. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Bridger Bischof bounced one to the short stop who tried to get the lead runner out at home. Munday was able to slide in safely, the catcher then threw down to 2nd to try to get Bridger Bischof who headed to 2nd after the throw went home. The throw to 2nd was late and Georgiou had danced from 3rd, eliciting a throw from the 2nd baseman. The throw trickled into the dugout and both runs were awarded home on the ball out of play. In the blink of an eye, the Lancer lead was gone and the Bombers had a 3-1 lead.
The start of the Bombers 3 run play.
With a 2 run cushion, Munday set out to make quick work of the Lancer line-up, and that's just what he did, setting them down in order in the 3rd. Kay answered with a 1-2-3 of his own. Then, the strikeouts really started racking up for Munday. All 3 outs in the 4th were by strikeout, with a 1 out single keeping it from 3 up, 3 down. The Bombers were able to get an insurance run in the bottom half of the 4th, Munday got the rally started with a 1 out walk, With the afternoon temperatures getting into the upper 80s, and with the field turf field making it feel closer to triple digits, the Bombers elected to go with courtesy runner Graysen Bischof to run for their hurler. Next up was Georgiou, who once again laced a double to the gap in left center. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Bridger Bischof struck out looking, but the ball got past the Lancer catcher and enabled him to take first. With the bases loaded Grant Beclay laid down a bunt for the sacrifice squeeze. The Lancers took the easy out at 1st, but the Bomber lead had grown to 4-1.
Both teams went down with not much ado in the 5th and 6th innings which set up a do or die top of the 7th for the boys from Gilmour Academy. Kenston manager Joseph Hritz opted to let Munday finish what he started. He was able to get the leadoff hitter to strike out but then surrendered a free pass to 9 hole hitter Jakob Kavcic. Kavcic ended up scoring on a 2 out error by the right fielder. With the score 4-2 and the tying run at the plate, Munday was able to get the final out by how else? another strikeout, giving him 14 on the afternoon.
Kenston will move on to play the winner of Field-Notre Dame Cathedral Latin in the Regional Final on Friday evening at 5:00 pm at Thurman Munson Stadium in Canton.
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