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By Scott Huff
ROYERFORD – Forget the persistent rain – and the biting cold.
Remember the ‘Sunshine’ – as in Council Rock North senior Scott Runzer.
Runzer – nicknamed ‘Sunshine’ by both Rock players and coaches after the character in Remember the Titans for his flowing blonde hair – pitched an 11-strikeout complete game 3-2 victory over Garnet Valley to advance the Indians to the PIAA District One Quad-A championship game.
Council Rock North will meet the winner of the Pennridge-West Chester East game to be played today at Boyertown. That Quad-A semifinal game was rained out yesterday.“It was a little tough (in the poor weather) to stay on top of my curve ball,” said Runzer. “I’ve never really had to pitch a game in weather like this before, but it really wasn’t too bad.
“We really want a chance to win the district title,” added Runzer. “And we knew that in order to have that chance – and to have a better seed in the state playoffs – we had to win today.”
The fact that the game was played at all was an upset.
“I was hoping that we could get the game in,” said Council Rock head coach Dan Kusters who had water dripping from the bill of his cap during the post game interview. “We had some good energy going into the game, and we wanted the keep the momentum going.
“But, at the same time, I didn’t want a game of this importance decided by an oddity created by the weather,” added Kusters. “And fortunately the game was decided by the players on the field.”
Garnet Valley – the third place finisher in the Central League behind co-champions Conestoga and Strath Haven – scored an unearned run in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. Joe Barnholt – the losing pitcher – singled home Joe DeCardo who had reached base on the lone Indian error of the game.Council Rock North tied the score in its half of the fourth inning. Kelly Adams opened the inning with a double and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Tim Filer. Adams alertly scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly to the second baseman who fell backward after making a catch on a popup by Ryan Hartley.
The Indians rallied for a pair of runs in the fifth inning to assume a 3-1 lead.
Jesse Goldberg opened the inning by being hit by a pitch and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Hone. Ty Farrell beat out an infield single, and on an errant throw to first base, Goldberg scored.
Benn Parker pinch ran for Farrell and stole second base. Parker scored what proved to be the winning run moments later as Runzer reached on an error.
Runzer – in addition to his 11 strikeouts – picked off a runner to end a threat in the fifth inning. But the lanky right-hander ran into a little difficulty closing the game out in the seventh inning.
The inning opened with a strikeout but a walk and a single put runners on first and second. A second strikeout was followed by an RBI single to close the score to 3-2. That score would become final as Runzer induced a short-to-second force-out to end the game.
“Scott doesn’t give up many runs, and I was confident that he would get out of that inning,” said Kusters. “It’s the type of game that we have played all season.”
“I wasn’t too nervous in that last inning,” said Runzer. “They got a couple of lucky hits, and I was still throwing the ball well.”
And despite the damp and dreary day – the ‘Sunshine’ came through for Council Rock North.
Garnet Valley 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 - 2 5 3
C. Rock North 0 0 0 1 2 0 x - 3 6 1
Garnet Valley: Kyle Davis ss 4 0 1 0; Chris Santangelo cf 3 0 0 0; Jake Dickerson 3b 3 0 0 0; Joe DeCardo 2b 3 1 0 0; Joe Barnholt p 3 0 1 1; Niko Ickeninian dh 1 1 0 0; Luke Kish rf 2 0 2 0; Jim Quinn c 3 0 0 0; Matt Hendrixson 1b 3 0 1 1. Totals 25 2 5 2
Council Rock North: Matt Hone ss 3 0 0 0; Ty Farrell 3 0 2 0; Benn Parker 0 1 0 0; Scott Runzer p 3 0 1 0; Kelly Adams cf 3 1 1 0; Tim Filer 1b 2 0 0 0; Ryan Hartley 2b 1 0 0 1; Ryan Venner dh 2 0 2 0; Lee Marvel lf 2 0 0 0; Jesse Goldberg rf 2 1 0 0. Totals 21 3 6 1
2B - {GV – Kish} {CRN- Runzer, Venner, Adams}
Great Valley INN H R ER K W
Barnholt (L) 6.0 6 3 2 3 2
Rock North
Runzer (W) 7.0 5 2 1 11 2
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