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INDIANA, Pa. – The Somerset Golden Eagles knew they faced a tough task against the defending state champion in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A baseball playoffs.
They didn’t expect things to unravel in such a big way.
Indiana scored 10 runs on 10 hits in the bottom of the fourth inning and blanked Somerset in the top of the fifth, handing the Golden Eagles a 10-0 loss in a game that ended via the 10-run mercy rule after 4 1/2 innings at White Township Recreation Complex in front of over 1,000 fans.
“That was a really worthy opponent there,” Somerset coach Jimmy Mayer said, “and we knew what we were walking into and knew it would be tough and we were going to have to get some breaks, and it just didn’t happen today.”
Indiana (20-4) won three games in the District 7 playoffs, all shutouts by 1-0, 3-0 and 4-0 scores, and this one was following that low-scoring path after 3 1/2 innings.
“We knew that runs would be at a premium today,” Mayer said. “We got out of some jams early in the game, and you can’t keep putting yourselves in those situations where guys are in scoring position with less than two outs. Eventually, the seal is going to break there.”
When it broke, the floodgates opened wide.
Indiana, which beat Somerset 9-1 April 16, sent 15 batters to the plate in the fourth inning. Eight of the first nine reached base – there was one walk sprinkled among seven hits – and that left Somerset in an 8-0 hole and chased starter Colt Hagans.
Sophomore relief pitcher Ivan Stankan recorded a second out, but three consecutive hits followed before the inning ended at 10-0.
“Colt has been great for us all year,” Mayer said, “and I was going to let him battle through that, but unfortunately, they hit the ball hard, and it fell, and they scored a bunch of runs there.”
Hagans closed his senior year with an 8-2 record, chalking up half his team’s wins in a 16-6 season.
“He was mixing it up early and keeping us off-balance,” Indiana coach Dan Petroff said, “but that fourth inning, that might have been one of the bigger hitting innings Indiana has had in a long, long time. The ball was jumping off the bats.”
Somerset’s hardest-hit ball of the day ended in an unlikely out to close the third inning.
Max Means started the third by drawing a walk for his team’s first baserunner of the game against Indiana starter Shane McHugh. Means stole second, but McHugh got two strikeouts before issuing a walk to leadoff batter Braeden Flower.
Ashton Harmon stepped into the box and drilled a low line drive that was destined to end up in center field and produce the game’s first run.
But McHugh, a junior left-hander, spun after his follow through and speared the line drive with a behind-the-back stab about a foot off the ground.
“That was one of those plays you just shake your head about,” Mayer said.
Somerset managed only Garret Reese’s leadoff single in the fourth and drew three walks.
The Golden Eagles put runners on second and third with one out in the fifth following two walks and a wild pitch in an effort to keep the game going, but Indiana closer Charlie Manzi finished with two strikeouts.
Somerset escaped a couple of early jams by turning two double plays. Junior shortstop Jake Stoy started both, going 6-4-3 in the second inning and unassisted to first in the third.
“Our guys battled all year,” Mayer said. “We replaced six guys from an 18-3 team last year, so we weren’t sure what this team was going to be, but we had some guys really step up for us. Unfortunately, the way it ended, you never want to end on a loss like that, but I’m just proud of everything they accomplished.”
Somerset went 11-1 in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference West and beat Clearfield 6-5 in the District 5-9 championship game to earn a berth in the state tournament.
Starters return at six positions next season.
“Coach Petroff has really established the premier program in the state,” Mayer said. “It was an awesome opportunity for us, and I hope it shows the kids what it takes. That’s a really good team, the best team we’ve played in five years. I just hope the guys put in the work in the offseason and come back next year and hopefully be back in this spot again.”
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They didn’t expect things to unravel in such a big way.
Indiana scored 10 runs on 10 hits in the bottom of the fourth inning and blanked Somerset in the top of the fifth, handing the Golden Eagles a 10-0 loss in a game that ended via the 10-run mercy rule after 4 1/2 innings at White Township Recreation Complex in front of over 1,000 fans.
“That was a really worthy opponent there,” Somerset coach Jimmy Mayer said, “and we knew what we were walking into and knew it would be tough and we were going to have to get some breaks, and it just didn’t happen today.”
Indiana (20-4) won three games in the District 7 playoffs, all shutouts by 1-0, 3-0 and 4-0 scores, and this one was following that low-scoring path after 3 1/2 innings.
“We knew that runs would be at a premium today,” Mayer said. “We got out of some jams early in the game, and you can’t keep putting yourselves in those situations where guys are in scoring position with less than two outs. Eventually, the seal is going to break there.”
When it broke, the floodgates opened wide.
Indiana, which beat Somerset 9-1 April 16, sent 15 batters to the plate in the fourth inning. Eight of the first nine reached base – there was one walk sprinkled among seven hits – and that left Somerset in an 8-0 hole and chased starter Colt Hagans.
Sophomore relief pitcher Ivan Stankan recorded a second out, but three consecutive hits followed before the inning ended at 10-0.
“Colt has been great for us all year,” Mayer said, “and I was going to let him battle through that, but unfortunately, they hit the ball hard, and it fell, and they scored a bunch of runs there.”
Hagans closed his senior year with an 8-2 record, chalking up half his team’s wins in a 16-6 season.
“He was mixing it up early and keeping us off-balance,” Indiana coach Dan Petroff said, “but that fourth inning, that might have been one of the bigger hitting innings Indiana has had in a long, long time. The ball was jumping off the bats.”
Somerset’s hardest-hit ball of the day ended in an unlikely out to close the third inning.
Max Means started the third by drawing a walk for his team’s first baserunner of the game against Indiana starter Shane McHugh. Means stole second, but McHugh got two strikeouts before issuing a walk to leadoff batter Braeden Flower.
Ashton Harmon stepped into the box and drilled a low line drive that was destined to end up in center field and produce the game’s first run.
But McHugh, a junior left-hander, spun after his follow through and speared the line drive with a behind-the-back stab about a foot off the ground.
“That was one of those plays you just shake your head about,” Mayer said.
Somerset managed only Garret Reese’s leadoff single in the fourth and drew three walks.
The Golden Eagles put runners on second and third with one out in the fifth following two walks and a wild pitch in an effort to keep the game going, but Indiana closer Charlie Manzi finished with two strikeouts.
Somerset escaped a couple of early jams by turning two double plays. Junior shortstop Jake Stoy started both, going 6-4-3 in the second inning and unassisted to first in the third.
“Our guys battled all year,” Mayer said. “We replaced six guys from an 18-3 team last year, so we weren’t sure what this team was going to be, but we had some guys really step up for us. Unfortunately, the way it ended, you never want to end on a loss like that, but I’m just proud of everything they accomplished.”
Somerset went 11-1 in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference West and beat Clearfield 6-5 in the District 5-9 championship game to earn a berth in the state tournament.
Starters return at six positions next season.
“Coach Petroff has really established the premier program in the state,” Mayer said. “It was an awesome opportunity for us, and I hope it shows the kids what it takes. That’s a really good team, the best team we’ve played in five years. I just hope the guys put in the work in the offseason and come back next year and hopefully be back in this spot again.”
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