Senior Loyalsock pitchers are delivering in big spots
Trending
Cooper Larson started describing how well Josh Rankey threw last Saturday at the District 4 Class AAA championship. Then the Loyalsock catcher caught himself.
He did not want to slight anyone, so Larson also mentioned Chase Cavanaugh and Joeb Schurer coming up big. He was right, too. All three senior pitchers delivered in big spots and played a crucial role in helping Loyalsock capture its first district title since 2017.
Cavanaugh, Schurer and Rankey combined on a seven-hitter and helped Loyalsock defeat top-seeded Central Columbia, 7-6 in eight innings. Up next for Loyalsock (16-6) is the state tournament opener Monday against Lake Lehman at a District 2 site.
"I saw in Josh's eyes he was ready to go. I knew he wanted the ball," Larson said. "I know Joeb wanted it, and Chase wanted it, too. They all wanted it."
They all owned some big moments, too.
In a game decided by one run against a 19-win team which outscored Loyalsock 14-1 while sweeping it during the regular season, all three took turns squashing rallies which drastically could have altered the game. Five different times those pitchers stranded either the tying run or go-ahead run on third base from the second inning on. That included in each of the last four innings.
That trio of pitchers also held a potent offense in check and revealed as much about their poise as their talent. Simply put, each pitcher would not let his team lose.
"You're seeing the character of these guys. They've worked so hard for this moment and then when the moment comes they step up," Loyalsock coach Zac Martin said. "Some people kind of whither away at the moment but it speaks to their character. Rankey, Joeb, Cavanaugh … they're all just absolutely zoned in."
Pound for pound, Cavanaugh may have been the district's toughest football player last fall, totaling over 2,000 yards while taking a beating but never backing down. The senior left-hander displays the same demeanor on the mound and left the bases loaded with one out in the second inning after Central closed within 4-3. He stranded two more go-ahead runners an inning later and gave Loyalsock 4 2/3 gutsy innings.
Cavanaugh handed the ball to fellow senior Schurer in the sixth inning after Central tied the game. Schurer suffered a broken ankle playing football last fall but never missed a practice or game this season. He has been a tremendous leader all season and Schurer led Loyalsock out of a tough situation. Central had the bases loaded with one out and looked like it might finally take the lead. Instead, Schurer fielded a bunt and threw to home for a fielder's choice before inducing an inning-ending popout. The next inning, Schurer left two go-ahead runners on the corners, forcing a flyout.
"I had a little doubt at the beginning just because I couldn't find my footing on the mound but I worked with it and fought my way through," Schurer said. "We have come up short in the past and it was nice to finally get it and cherish it. This is my last go, so it's nice to leave on a good note."
Now it was Rankey's turn to showcase his clutch genes. After striking out 12 in a complete game semifinal masterpiece against Mount Carmel, Rankey entered with the championship-clinching run standing on third base and just one out in the seventh inning. Unfazed, the senior left-hander induced a grounder to first baseman Matt Worth for the second out. Then he and Larson combined on the game's biggest play.
Speedy Mason Yorty hit a slow roller on the grass between the mound and the plate. Rankey hustled and, knowing he had no play at first, flipped the ball to Larson who made a snap tag and saved the championship literally an inch or so before Central could win it. The next inning Cavanaugh hit a leadoff single, stole second and scored when Schurer pushed a bunt up the third-base line and the ball was thrown away.
Again Loyalsock led, but again Central came right back. A single, steal and walk and the winning runs on the corners with two outs. Loyalsock earned everything the hard way this season, so maybe it was fitting that it had to win its first district championship in four years in such dramatic fashion. Embracing the moment instead of being overcome by it, Rankey calmly struck out the next batter on four pitches and the underdog Lancers were district champions.
"He's locked in right now," Schurer said. "He just throws strikes and that's what you need. I always have faith in him and he has faith in us in the field. it's nice having him or Chase in there."
"I'm just thinking about making the pitch that's called and trying to get it exactly where I want it. I think I was ahead of in the count so I didn't want to give him anything perfect. I just wanted to get him out any way I could," Rankey said. "The whole week I was just picturing different things that could come up. I knew there was a possibility I could come in at the end of the game, so I was ready for it."
All three pitchers were ready for the most pressure-filled moments. Not a powerful offense or the situations could break them. In each of the last four innings, those pitchers kept the go-ahead or game-tying run at third base.
Cavanaugh, Schurer and Rankey each are quality pitchers who feature good stuff. At their core, though, they are fighters. And they made sure Loyalsock won this heavyweight championship bout.
"They never let anything get to them. It didn't matter what the count was," Larson said. "Whatever the situation was, every one of them battled."