Going to the bottom of the seventh inning Monday afternoon, the Warwick baseball team wasn’t exactly in a great position.
In fact, the District Three champion Warriors trailed District One fifth seed Hatboro Horsham by four runs in their PIAA Class 6A first-round meeting in Lititz.
Nope, not at all ideal.
But Matthew Williams and Nick Slogik had opinions on the matter.
Williams proceeded to rip a bases-loaded two-run double to trim the deficit. Not to be outdone, teammate Slogik stepped in and, with two outs, drilled the first pitch he saw for a three-run homer.
Walkoff 8-7 victory for Warwick. And a berth in the state quarterfinals on Thursday.
The Warriors (20-2) will next meet Upper St. Clair (13-10), the second seed out of District Seven, which knocked off District Six champ Altoona 2-0 on Monday.
Sites and times for the next round of state play have not yet been announced.
Liberty 1, Manheim Township 0
In another Class 6A first-rounder on Monday, a hit batsman and a pair of hits in the fourth inning broke a scoreless tie at DeSales University, and gave the Hurricanes the only run they’d need.
The Lancaster-Lebanon League champion and District Three silver medalist Blue Streaks finished their season at 21-6 with the defeat.
Manheim Central 9, Marple-Newton 8
Down by a pair of runs entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the District Three champion Barons struck for three runs and won in walk-off fashion to advance to the quarterfinals of the state Class 5A tournament.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh and the bases loaded, the Barons’ Dylan Yoder chopped a ground ball over the mound toward second base. Instead of it being turned into a double play to end the game, the ball took a wicked hop over the shortstop’s head, allowing two runs to score, including the game-winner.
On Thursday, the Barons (22-2) will meet District 12 champ Archbishop Wood, which topped Strath Haven 5-4 on Monday.
Donegal 11, Southern Lehigh 7
The Indians scored early and often, and the pitching of Jonathon Holmes held up for 6 1/3 innings en route to a first-round Class 5A win over Southern Lehigh at DeSales University.
Holmes scattered six hits and struck out four. He also contributed at the plate, with a home run among his three hits. Andrew Small earned the save by getting the final two outs.
Donegal, 17-8 and the fourth seed out of District Three, built a 10-2 lead through six innings, but had to hang on as Southern Lehigh scored five in the bottom of the seventh.
Starter Luke Lea took the loss for Southern Lehigh.
Colin Eckinger also had three hits for Donegal.
Thursday, the Indians will face a familiar foe in Ephrata, a 9-7 winner over Peters Township on Monday.
SOFTBALL
Lampeter-Strasburg 12, West Chester Rustin 7
Brooke Zuber smashed three home runs Monday, two alone in a massive eight-run second inning for the Pioneers (18-5).
Pair that with an eight-strikeout effort in the circle from Keiva Middleton, and L-S, the fifth seed out of District Three, punched its ticket to the Class 5A state quarters.
Next up Thursday is District Two champion Pittston — unbeaten at 22-0 — which drilled District Three’s third-place entrant, South Western, 13-0.
