Published: 5/30/2023 10:09:46 PM
Modified: 5/30/2023 10:09:20 PM
GREENFIELD — Seven innings weren’t enough to decide Tuesday night’s Western Mass. Class D baseball championship game between Pioneer and Ware.
No. 3 Ware scored the opening run of the game two batters in but were shut down by Panther pitcher Ethan Quinn from that point on. The sophomore kept No. 1 Pioneer in the game while its bats weren’t, as he didn’t allow another run for the next six innings.
Pioneer pulled even in the bottom of the sixth and neither team scored in the seventh, leading to extra innings. Hugh Cyhowski relieved Quinn in the eighth and tossed two scoreless frames before Ware was finally able to get two across in the top of the 10th to take the lead. The Panthers couldn’t answer, with Ware securing the Class D title with a 3-1 victory at Vets Field.
It was the first loss of the season for Pioneer (18-1).
“They hit the ball,” Pioneer coach Kevin Luippold said. “We knew they were going to swing and they swung it and hit the ball really hard. We knew Ware was going to be a good team and that it was going to be close. Our pitchers held us in it before they were able to string a few together.”
Quinn struck out 14 — the last four batters he faced struck out looking — in his seven innings of work, allowing just six hits and no walks. Cyhowski struck out one and scattered four hits in three innings work.
John Mumper was the star of the game for Ware (17-4). The junior went the entire 10 innings on the hill, striking out seven while holding the Panthers to just seven hits along the way.
“I said all year if we score four or five runs we’ll win the game,” Luippold said. “We only were able to get one today.”
Mumper opened the game with a single for Ware. The junior stole second and Nathan Kaczuwka blasted a double to deep left field that brought Mumper home, giving Ware a 1-0 lead.
Luc Belhumeur got the sixth inning rally started for Pioneer with a single. Ben Werner switched with him at first following a fielder’s choice and Alex McClelland moved Werner to second with a single.
Braeden Tsipenyuk walked to load the bases for Quinn, who flew out to left field. The fly ball was deep enough to allow Werner to tag up and score, knotting the game at one.
Once again it was Mumper who was the Ware hero in the 10th. Jack McKeever reached on a single and stole second. With two outs, Mumper came through, knocking a single up the middle that scored McKeever to give Ware its first run since the opening inning.
Mumper moved to second following a Kaczuwka walk and Dylan Sutkaitis came up and blooped a single to left that scored Mumper to give Ware a 3-1 lead.
Ethan Mauthe reached on a fielder’s choice and Peter Loud singled to put two runners on with one out in the bottom of the 10th for Pioneer, but Mumper got a fly out and a ground out to end the game.
Loud, Tsipenyuk, Belhumeur, McClelland, Cyhowski (2) and Loud had the seven hits for the Panthers on a day where they struggled to find any rhythm at the plate.
The good news for Pioneer? The season isn’t over yet, with the state tournament coming just around the corner. The loss on Tuesday ends the Panthers’ unbeaten season, though Luippold said his team will refocus for the next stage of the postseason.
“When you only have one loss it sucks having it come in the championship game,” Luippold said. “Besides that it was a great game and our team played well. No regrets.”