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ALMEDIA--Nick Reeder silenced the Athens offense all evening, throwing six masterful one-hit innings. And yet Athens kept talking.
So Maddix Dalena finally quieted the Wildcats for good.
Reeder and Grayson Rinker combined on a dominant one-hitter and Dalena responded to both a controversial hit batter and, considering the score, juvenile taunting by blasting a titanic 2-run, sixth-inning home run. Reeder’s pitching and Dalena’s clout highlighted a strong team performance as Montoursville overpowered Athens, 9-2 in Thursday’s District 4 Class AAAA semifinals at Central Columbia. The Warriors (14-7) scored six fourth inning runs to break a tie and earned a spot in their third straight district final, their first at the 4A level, Saturday at Bowman Field against Midd-West.
"I’m excited. I’m happy for this team. I think we needed that big time," Montoursville coach Jeremy Eck said. "I told the guys, ‘You’re getting your opportunity and you have to make the most of it so here it is. We’re seven innings away and we have to try and take care of us business.’
Business was booming for Reeder who made the most of his first playoff start. The left-hander put on a pitching clinic for six innings, surrendering no earned runs and allowing just a swinging bunt single.
Reeder was the game’s star, but Dalena might have stolen the show with his sixth-inning home run.
During that six run fourth inning, Athens accused Nolan Kutney of a stealing a sign while standing on second base. An Athens coach then said Kutney would be thrown at when he batted again. And two innings later when Kutney came up, he indeed was hit by the first pitch he saw.
It was not only an unsportsmanlike move against a high school player, but a highly illogical one. Montoursville led 7-2 and putting Kutney on base while also chanting "0 for 3!" at Dalena was pouring gasoline on the fire. One pitch later the situation exploded as Dalena walloped a massive drive well over the left-center field fence.
Athens responded to something it disliked by hitting a batter instead of trying to get him out. Montoursville responded like a two-time defending champion. The Connecticut-bound Dalena earned the last laugh as jubilant teammates stormed out of the dugout and greeted him at home after he made it, 9-2.
"I was just looking for one pitch and it came in. After Kutney got hit I knew I had to do something to get him in. It ended up going over the fence" Dalena said. "I kind of gave it a few steps and then I peeked a little bit and then I knew it was over (the fence). The guys in the dugout were all hyped up and it was exciting."
Reeder produced excitement all night, complementing his pitching by going 2 for 4 with a two-run double and closing the game with a fantastic diving catch in center field as Grayson Rinker threw a hitless seventh. Still, it was Reeder’s pitching which stood out most. The left-hander used his arm to paint a baseball masterpiece and each stroke was brilliant.
The junior was just the second left-hander Athens had seen this season and he had them befuddled from the start. Reeder retired the first nine hitters before Karter Rude opened the fourth inning with his swinging bunt just past the pitcher’s mound. Reeder drilled the strike zone, moved the ball around, kept hitters guessing and threw 60 of his 81 pitches for strikes. He also threw 16 first-pitch strikes to 23 batters, struck out six and continued a breakout season which includes stellar performances in wins against Jersey Shore and Danville.
"My mindset was just throw strikes and let my defense handle it. That’s all there was to it," Reeder said. "I was really excited. I knew I was the right fit for this. They’ve only seen one lefty this year in relief, so I knew this would be a perfect game for me to show off what I have."
Reeder’s superb performance was even more critical since Montoursville plays again Saturday. His ability to go deep into the game kept every other Warrior pitcher available to throw Saturday. He also allowed two or fewer runs for a third time in four starts.
"It’s his first time in a huge situation as far as not getting to play as a sophomore and not seeing much time as a freshman," Eck said. "This was his first live district playoff baseball where it’s a little different. It’s a little more intense, the expectations are a little higher and he came out and did a fantastic job from the start for us."
Montoursville took advantage of two errors to score a second inning run and Athens took advantage of a two-base error to tie it, 1-1 in the fourth. The Warriors emphatically answered in the bottom of the inning, stringing five hits together, scoring six times and building a 7-1 lead.
Dylan Moll hit a one-out single and brilliant execution brought him home with the go-ahead run. AJ Llorente moved Moll to third with a hit and run single. Catcher CJ Signor then pushed a perfectly placed bunt single up the grass near first base, giving Montoursville a lead it never relinquished.
"We haven’t been able to use a lot of small ball this year, but we came through when we needed it," Dalena said. "It was a big situation and CJ came through with a great push bunt to get a run in and that got us going."
"We were a little flat coming in when they tied it 1-1, but as soon as we got another run in a spark went off," Reeder said. "Then we just caught on fire."
James Batkowski drew an RBI walk before Reeder and Kutney fanned that spark into an inferno. Reeder scorched his two-run double down the right-field line before Kutney drove a two-run double deep into the right-center field gap as Montoursville went up, 7-1.
The Warriors know they must clean up their defense for the championship after two errors allowed Athens to score another run in the sixth inning. Athens put runners on second and third with two outs, but never rattled Reeder who induced a softly hit grounder while again showing that actions speak louder than words.
"He’s been working all year trying to get better and better," Dalena said. "He came out and proved it."
Athens 000 101 0--2 1 3
Montoursville 010 602 x--9 7 4
Mason Lister, Lucas Kraft (4) and Caleb Nichols. Nick Reeder, Grayson Rinker (7) and CJ Signor. W--Reeder, (3-0). L--Lister.
Top Montoursville hitters: Reeder 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Dylan Moll 1-3, 2 R, SB; Signor 1-3, RBI; Nolan Kutney 1-2, 2B, 2 RBIs, R; Maddix Dalena 1-4, HR, 2 RBIs; AJ Llorente 1-2, BB, R.
Records: Montoursville 14-7. Athens 12-9.