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ALTOONA – They will replay the scene a million times in their memories.
That magical moment when time oh-so-briefly stood still as North Penn first baseman Scott Christy – with a pair of runners on board – snared the line drive off the bat of Parkland’s Luke Jaindl for the final out in North Penn’s electrifying 3-1 win over Parkland in Friday’s PIAA Class AAAA state championship game.
“I saw it coming at me,” Christy said. “It was right at me. It was perfect. I was so happy. We finally got the win.”And a coveted state title – their program’s first ever.
Players and coaches dashed out of the dugout and converged for an emotional pile-on between home plate and the mound.
Looking for the definition of ecstasy? This was it.
“My heart was beating a little faster,” senior shortstop Robbie Zinsmeister said of the game’s final tense moments. “When Scott caught that, it was the greatest thing ever.
“I was so excited to go into the dog pile. You don’t even know. It was surreal.”
Emotions ran high for a Knight squad that won its 14th game in 15 outings on Friday in picturesque Blair County Ballpark.
“I’m on top of the world right now,” senior Matt Albaugh said. “Best feeling in the world.”
“This means the world to me,” added senior Justin Davey. “It’s basically a dream come true to win a state championship. It’s the perfect way to wrap up my senior year.”
In the midst of the giddy post-game scene, senior Eric Ruth, who tossed another gem on the mound, carried the state championship trophy into the stands, allowing the Knights’ devoted student section an opportunity to celebrate with their team.
“I don’t know what to say,” Ruth said. “It’s amazing for us to make it this far and win a state championship.
“It was the best season of my life. It feels great. After losing in the first round of state last year, we wanted to make it to Altoona. We came here and won a state championship.”
As expected, Ruth had more than a little to do with that fact. The senior mound ace took a three-hit shutout into the seventh when the dangerous Trojans showed signs of coming to life but not before Ruth fanned the first batter he faced.
“He (M.J. Morelli) is a really good hitter, and getting him out for the first out was a big boost,” Albaugh said. “They put their bats on the ball really well, but Eric came out and did what he has done all year.”
That out loomed large when Jon Gabriel lined a single to center, and clean-up batter Dan Klem followed with a wicked single off Ruth that not only deflected off his glove but took his hat off as well.
Jon Abelyn’s single to center plated Gabriel, and suddenly, the Trojans – with a run across – had the tying run on board with one out
Not to worry.
Ruth fanned Mike Tenaglia with a high heater, and the historic win was in the books when Christy snagged Jaindl’s line drive.
“Scott made a nice play at first, and everyone went crazy from there,” Ruth said. “A state championship – it’s big for North Penn. It’s the first one in school history.”
And this was one of those special championship games that lived up to its billing. Both teams played flawless defense, making the routine plays and the not-so-routine plays.
“I think (defense) is what won us the game, and over the course of the year, that’s what really made us a great team,” Davey said. “That’s what set us apart from the other teams.
“We don’t let guys get on base, and our pitchers do a great job.”
Falling under the category of spectacular was the impossible double play the Knights turned in the fourth inning of a scoreless ball game when – with Miorelli on second – Zinsmeister fielded a ball in the third base hole and threw to Christy at first for the out.
Christy saw Miorelli breaking for third and fired a strike to third baseman Jimmy Smith, who made the tag for the unorthodox short-to-first-to-third double play.
“You don’t see that very often in baseball,” Knight coach Bob McCreary said. “You have two pretty good arms there with Robbie and Scott Christy at first.
“In this kind of game, at this time of year, you need somebody to come up with the big play, and that’s what they were able to do.”
Ruth was most appreciative.
“It’s great,” he said. “It brings momentum to the bats. The double plays get everybody fired up.”
While Ruth went on to retire the next seven batters he faced, his teammate’s bats came to life.In the fifth, Mark Grassie continued his torrid post-season by hitting a sharp liner into left center. Leftfielder Joe Abeln made a diving grab of the ball, but it popped out of his glove when he hit the ground, and Grassie was on second with a double.
“When I hit it, I didn’t think I hit it right at him – I thought it could be a gapper,” Grassie said. “He actually made a really nice play, but it popped out.
“That really helped us out a lot. It got the game started for us.”
Zinsmeister roped a double to the fence in left center, easily playing Grassie, and when Christy lined a two-out single to right, Zinsmeister came home to put the Knights on top 2-0.
In the top of the seventh, Grassie singled to left to open the inning, and although he was erased on a fielder’s choice, the Knights added a huge insurance run when Davey hit a rocket to deep right center for a triple that made it a 3-0 game.
“You have to play a game like this with a little bit of confidence,” Davey said. “We just knew that when we had a chance, we had to capitalize on it, and with Eric throwing, they weren’t going to get a lot of chances.”
The Trojans threatened in the seventh, but the Knights – behind the strong arm of Ruth – prevailed, and McCreary says he was never thinking of going to the bullpen.
“He was still throwing high velocity, and they weren’t putting great swings on it,” the Knights’ coach said. “They were putting their bats on the ball, but you have to go with him in that situation.”
EXTRA INNINGS: In a page from the New York Yankees’ post-game celebrations, McCreary and pitching coach Kevin Manero took cream pies to the face after Friday’s win. “I’ll take this once a year,” McCreary said as he wiped the cream from his face during a post-game interview.
NORTH PENN 3, PARKLAND 1
North Penn: Robbie Zinsmeister ss 4 2 2 1; Justin Davey cf 3 0 2 1; Scott Christy 1b 4 0 1 1; Matt Albaugh c 2 0 0 0; Brandon Martinez cr 0 0 0 0; Christian Radick rf 3 0 1 0; Craig Lepre dh 3 0 1 0; Jimmy Smith 3b 3 0 0 0; Jake Dunn lf 3 0 0 0; Mark Grassie 2b 3 1 2 0; Eric Ruth p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 28 3 9 3.
Parkland: Andy Brandstetter rf 3 0 0 0; M.J. Miorelli 3b 3 0 1 0; Jon Gabriel c 3 0 2 0; Ryan Carlon cr 0 1 0 0; Dan Klem ss 3 0 1 0; Joe Abeln lf 3 0 1 1; Mike Tenaglia dh 3 0 1 0; Luke Jaindl 2b 3 0 0 0; Ryan Karp cf 2 0 0 0; Sam Zaccaro 1b 2 0 0 0; Casey Cooperman p 0 0 0 0; Matt Smith p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 25 1 6 1.
North Penn 000 020 1-3
Parkland 000 000 1-1
E-Parkland 0, NP 0. DP-Parkland 2, NP 2. LOB-NP-6, Parkland 3. 2B-Mark Grassie, Robbie Zinsmeister. 3B-Justin Davey. SB-Christian Radick.
IP H R ER BB SO
North Penn
Ruth (W) 7 6 1 1 0 6
Parkland
Cooperman (L) 6 1/3 9 3 3 2 2
Smith 1/3 0 0 0 0 0
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