Taylor shuts down Frederick

Ted Allen and Chris Humphreys

Published: July 28, 2008

Colin Taylor didn’t have the opportunity to pitch for the Delco (Pa.) Diamonds very often this season, but in Saturday’s championship semifinal against Frederick (Md.) American Legion at City Stadium, he answered the call and hurled a complete-game shutout.
“He didn’t really pitch all season, but he stepped up tonight,” said Delco clean-up hitter Mike Raimo, who went 2-for-3 with a double and scored the first run in the fourth. “We needed him tonight because we’d used everyone else. We just told him to pitch the ball over the plate and we’d make the plays for him and that’s what we did.”
The 5-0 triumph sends the Diamonds, at 6-0 the only undefeated team in the tournament, into today’s 2 p.m. final against the Long Island Tigers. Frederick, playing in its first tournament outside of Maryland this summer, took a 29-5 record into the semifinal and finishes third out of 32 teams at 5-2.
“This was probably the best team we’ve played, this and Baseball U., who we beat early (Saturday),” Delco leadoff batter Rob Benedict (3-for-4, run, two RBIs) said of Frederick. “Our pitchers have kept us in every game and we’ve scored a lot of runs early, which has picked us up for the rest of the game.”
Raimo led off the fourth with a single to right center nearly caught by center fielder Joey Zuniga. He advanced to third when Diego Balcazar reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Mike Stranix after Russ Trojan flew out to shallow left.
“The first one wasn’t long enough but the second one got the job done for us,” Raimo said.
Tigers 9, Panthers 3
The Long Island Tigers are without a doubt celebrating their 9-3 victory over the F.C. Panthers at City Stadium on Saturday in the semifinals of NABF’s 17-and-Under World Series, and the Panthers are also without doubt wondering what if.
The Tigers will face the Delco Diamonds at City Stadium at 2 p.m.
“We didn’t know what to expect and have played a lot of good teams down here,” Long Island coach Kenny Auer said. “If we can just keep hitting like have been and scoring a lot runs it will help me sleep better.”
Long Island scored six runs in the bottom of the third but only four of the runs were earned and Franklin County had a tailor-made, double-play ball that got through wickets of second base Javin Metz from holding the Tigers to two runs in the inning.
“That’s baseball,” Panthers coach Fred Heatwole said. “If we were supposed to make every play they wouldn’t give us gloves.”
In that six-run, third inning the Tigers brought ten hitters to the plate, had four hits and drew two walks. The big blow came on Brent Williams’ two-out, two-run double just inside the third base bag.
“(Gold) threw well,” Auer said. “He rattles our nerves every game, but he gets the job done.”
Long Island added two more unearned runs in the fourth. All told the Panthers committed four errors that led to four unearned runs but the F.C. defense could have kept six of the nine runs off the board.
“It’s hard bounce back anytime some puts a six spot on you,” Heatwole said.
Compounding the mistakes in the field were the 17 base runners the Panthers left on base.
“That’s going to be a hard pill to swallow going home,” Heatwole said. “You know I felt like we played well enough to win the game, but that’s baseball.”
Tigers’ starting pitcher Max Gold went six innings and picked up the victory for Long Island. He allowed three runs, 10 hits, four walks and struck out two. Williams pitched a scoreless seventh to nail down the Tigers’ spot in the championship game. 
“The tournament has been running great,” Auer said. “It’s been a pleasure and hopefully we can win it.”
Said Heatwole: “I really appreciate G.R. Wiley (and his people).  They are a great organization and great people doing a great thing for a lot kids and we really want to thank them.”