‘One removed’: Loyalsock majors one win away from states
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BERWICK -- Loyalsock's infielders and outfielders always have the backs of whoever the team has on the mound at any given time. On Sunday, that was on full display in the winners' bracket final against Athens.
Leading heading into the second inning, Athens got a hold of a pitch by Maverick Garman and sent it over the fence for a home run. Rather than get down on himself or let that turn into a pivotal game-changing moment, Garman brushed it off, his teammates told him it was fine and from there, Loyalsock dialed in. Garman and Loyalsock didn't give up another run the rest of the game and cruised to a 12-2, four-inning victory to advance to today's Section 3 championship game.
That mindset and demeanor of not getting rattled is what helped Loyalsock's major baseball team get to this point and is why the team's a win away from heading to the state tournament.
"100% (the players have the pitcher's back). We have some really good leaders on this team that have taken control of the team. When home run came today, they bonded together and said 'hey, we have you Mav,'" Loyalsock manager Jake King said. "He came out after home run and threw harder than he did before the home run. He did a fantastic job of being able to get rid of the home run, brush it off and refocus and go back to mound. I was super proud of him today for that."
Defense and pitching have been Loyalsock's biggest strength this summer throughout the District 12 and now Section 3 tournaments. King emphasizes that often and it's true. Loyalsock out-lasted Milton, 6-3, in the Section 3 opener before dominating Athens in Sunday's winners' bracket final.
"Pitching and defense have been our two biggest parts of our game," King said on Sunday. "To get hitting along with it (vs. Athens), that's why it ended up being a 12-2 game."
Garman threw a four-inning complete game on 55 pitches and the day prior, it was Ben Gusick limiting what Milton did offensively. Those two have been solid pitchers, but Loyalsock has plenty others in reserve that can throw and shut teams down. There's a deep bench that's bene key.
Heading to the sectional tournament, King noted that Loyalsock's major baseball team didn't show any nerves or jitters. They were focused on the task at hand which was playing baseball the way they know how and doing it well.
"Honestly? There weren't a whole lot of jitters I don't think. If there were, they hid them well from us. The boys have been very businesslike for us," King said. "They come to practice and work hard. It's bonding and work hard together as a group. They bonded and with that bond comes that business-like mentality. Our job is to come here and play baseball and have fun."
And now the team is a win away from being the third Loyalsock team since 2000 to win a Section 3 championship and could join the ranks of the 2000 and 2008 teams which did so.
"They're very, very excited. As a coaching staff, we're excited for them," King said. "The boys have worked hard, put in a lot of hours and work, they're very excited for Tuesday.