PUNXSUTAWNEY — The Elk County Catholic High School baseball team can ask rival Johnsonburg for directions to Medlar Field in State College as the unbeaten Crusaders earned a trip to the PIAA Class A championship game with a 1-0 victory over Bishop McCort on Monday.
Just one year after Johnsonburg had captured the state title, the 25-0 Crusaders will seek to make it two straight for District 9 teams when they face Devon Prep (15-8) at the Lubrano Park complex on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
“We are looking forward to Friday in State College,” said Father Eric Vogt, ECC head coach. “The kids are really excited. I knew we had a good team, but it’s tough to do that (go undefeated) in any sport.”
Brandon Schlimm was the hero for ECC as the senior right-hand pitcher scattered four hits, struck out 11 and also stroked a fourth-inning triple that set up the only run.
“He (Schlimm) struggled early and got behind hitters,” Father Vogt confessed. “Then he settled down and threw strikes. You throw strikes and good things happen. It seemed the longer he pitched the stronger he got.”
Schlimm was up to his hips in alligators in the first inning when leadoff hitter Nemo Trexler and Youngstown State recruit Nathan Neiderhiser drew walks to place the duo on first and third with one out.
Neiderhiser then took off for second base and ECC catcher Dan Stauffer threw down to Ryan Childs. The first baseman started to pursue Neiderhiser as the runner at third headed for home. Childs then had no trouble finding Nemo and fired a strike to Stauffer that nailed Trexler at the plate.
“We were screaming at him (Childs) to watch home,” Father Vogt recalled. “You expect that leadership from a senior.”
The Crushers’ Ethan Neiderhiser led off the top of the second by ripping a sinking line drive to the outfield, but Vincent Jacob made a sliding shoestring catch in shallow center.
“He (Jacob) made a nice diving stop,” Father Vogt recalled. “Defense and pitching win games.”
The snag was crucial as Nick Gjurich, who was the only junior in a senior-laden Crusher lineup, doubled to left and Dan Formica singled to center before Schlimm stranded the pair in scoring position with an inning-ending whiff.
Meanwhile McCort (18-8) starter Brad Coleman had limited the Crusaders to a base hit by Brad Dippold in the first and a bunt single from Jacob in the third when Schlimm tripled to rightcenter with two outs in the fourth.
With courtesy runner Mitchell Struble just 90 feet from paydirt, left-hand hitter Josh Zelinski smacked an 0-1 offering into left field and Struble scored easily.
“His (Schlimm’s) bat really won it for us,” Father Vogt noted. “Then Josh (Zelinski) did a nice job of DHing by going the other way with the pitch.”
The District 6 champs from Johnstown, who won the state crown in 2012, threatened again in the fifth when Coleman walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Nathan Neiderhiser then hit a bullet at second baseman Jonathan Dippold, who made an NHL-like goalie save and pegged him out at first.
Schlimm then fanned cleanup hitter Alex Sobecky swinging to maroon the runner at third.
“That was a heck of a stop,” Father Vogt said of Jonathan Dippold’s web gem. “It was a left-handed hitter so he had to hustle his throw.’’
Following his only perfect inning in the sixth, Schlimm had struck out the first batter in the seventh when ninth-place hitter Cameron Rock rocked a two-bagger off the base of the rightcenter field fence.
Schlimm induced Trexler into a fly ball to right and then on an 0-2 pitch caught Coleman looking at a belt-high fastball for his grand finale.
“He (Rock) got that double and I thought here we go,” Vogt admitted. “But he (Schlimm) settled down and got Nemo to fly out and then he took care of the other kid (Coleman). He pitched a great ballgame and will be a heck of a prospect at St. Bonnies.”
