Truman notched another walk-off win on Wednesday. Check the recaps.
HARRY S TRUMAN 8, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 7
The Tigers opened up an early 5-1 lead but found itself on the short end of a 7-6 score with two outs and nobody on base in the bottom of the seventh. That final out – it never happened as the Tigers staged a gutsy two-out rally, earning the walk-off win when Andrew Armstrong scored from first on a wind-blown single to right field by pinch hitter Gabe Marrero.
“There’s two outs, nobody on, and we’re down a run,” Truman coach Tim Monaghan said. “James Baker drew a walk. Andrew Armstrong comes up, and he had homered earlier in the game, so you’re probably pretty careful with him, and he walks. Baker stole third, so it’s first and third with two outs.”
Monaghan lifted Makai Jackson for a pinch hitter and tabbed Marrero for the job.
“Gabe’s already had a walk-off single for us this year,” the Tigers’ coach said. “Last year when we played at CB West, he was kind of in the same situation. He had a pinch hit as a sophomore with the bases loaded.
“We’re down a run, it’s kind of a similar day where the wind was blowing across the field from left to right, and he put a drive into one last year that got hung up in the air. It was that kind of day, so it’s only fitting that he has that opportunity again. He worked a full count, so our runner on first was going on the pitch. He hits a long fly ball to right. The right fielder has had challenging balls hit his way most of the afternoon. He’s running for it, and we’re sending him all the way.
“As Andrew Armstrong is coming around third, I’m kind of running down the third base line with him, and he had a look of disbelief that it hit the ground. Anything in the air was a challenge, especially to the right side of the field today. We’ve hit balls hard early in the year that other teams were making great plays on. Today we had a couple of balls that we didn’t hit as hard that found some space. Those things kind of even out over a long season.”
Wednesday’s win came on the heels of an 8-0 loss to Central Bucks East 24 hours earlier.
“Our kids stuck with it – they fought hard, especially coming off a one-hit shutout loss to a really good team,” Monaghan said. “We needed a big win to stay in it, and CB West is a good team. They only had one league loss coming into today. It is cliché, but every win is a big one.”
The Bucks put a run on the board in the top of the first when Matt Carr, who singled to lead off the game, scored on a sacrifice fly by Aidan Quinn. The Tigers erased that lead in a hurry with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
Highlights of the four-run uprising included a single by Mike Burns, a costly two out error that plated a pair, and a two-run home run by Armstrong.
In the bottom of the third, the Tigers used two-out singles by Wil Brennan, James Baker and Armstrong (RBI) to tack on a run and go on top 5-1.
CB West’s Aiden Kim led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run, and in the fifth, the Bucks evened the score with three unearned runs. The resilient Tigers took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the inning when Brennan, who tripled, scored on a single by Baker.
West took a 7-6 lead in the sixth inning. Matt Carr smashed a solo home run, and Kevin Bukowski, who singled, advanced to second and then third on wild pitches. He scored on an error. That set the stage for the dramatic seventh.
“They hit a solo home run to make it 5-2, and then we had an inning where we just kind of fell apart,” Monaghan said. “They scored their go-ahead run on a passed ball that we tried to throw the kid out at third too late, and the ball went into left field for their second run.
“They only earned three of their seven runs on their home runs. We made a bunch of mistakes. We have to clean that up, make life easier for ourselves. We’re hoping to turn that corner a little bit like we were earlier and we had a little bit of a trip-up. We have a non-league game Saturday, and we have four games next week. We’re right back into the fire. There’s no days off.”
Baker started and threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and six runs (four earned) while striking out seven and walking one. He also was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
“James Baker has been outstanding all year,” Monaghan said. “He threw 5 2/3 – if we field some ground balls behind him, he probably can stay in the game a little bit longer. He pitched the same way earlier this season against Council Rock South and was a victim of some bad defense when we gave up a bunch of runs in one inning there too.
“He’s been great all year. He’s been a bulldog for us on the mound, and he’s had really good at-bats. He gets that inning going with two outs and nobody on.”
Armstrong closed out the game and notched the win. He did not allow a hit in 1 1/3 shutout innings, striking out a pair. He was 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBIs.
“Andrew Armstrong coming in – he had his best game of the season offensively with a home run,” Monaghan said. “In relief, he’s been lights out. He’s kind of stolen some of these walk-off wins by coming in in relief and putting up no hits and striking out guys. He’s been keeping us right where we need to be to get us opportunities to win.”
Brennan was also 2-for-3 with a triple and three runs scored.
“Wil Brennan has been the steady guy for us all year,” Monaghan said. “He’s 2-for-3, he hit a triple today and three runs scored, and for a really big guy, he runs the bases really well. The top of our order really carried us.”
For the Bucks, Carr was 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI. Bukowski was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
Harry S Truman (5-6, 4-5 SOL) will travel to Wissahickon for a non-league game on Saturday at 11 a.m., and Central Bucks West (7-4, 5-2) will host North Penn on Friday.
Central Bucks West 100 132 0 7-7-3
Harry S Truman 401 010 2 8-9-7
About the Author
