Avonworth Varsity baseball used two big innings to defeat host Mars 8-4, Thursday night at Mars. Alex Rowe and Cooper Scharding went 3 for 3 (with 3 steals for Scharding), Jack Dolan notched two triples, and the Lopes used timely pitching and defense to send the Planets down to defeat.
Celebrating their Senior Night, Mars found themselves with a golden opportunity early, loading the bases with no outs in the first. But Avonworth starter Sam Zahn got a clutch strikeout for the first out; 3B Case Latore and SS Declan Ehrin got the second and third outs as they made plays at third and short, respectively, and nailed Mars runners at home on consecutive forceouts to leave the Planets scoreless. The Lopes capitalized on their good defense in the top of the third. Scharding and Latore led off with singles; Mason Metz’s single scored Scharding, and Dolan drove in Latore and Metz with a triple to deep right field to make it 3-0. Dolan would score the 4th Avonworth run on a wild pitch, and Alex Rowe scored on an error after a single and steal to make it 5-0.
Mars, however, got one back on a groundout in the bottom of the third to make it 5-1, and held the Lopes in check long enough to claw back to make it a 1 run game, courtesy of a three-run top of the 5th that made it 5-4. But Avonworth reasserted themselves in the top of the 6th with three run scoring base hits: Scharding’s double scored Ehrin after a leadoff walk, Metz’s double scored Scharding, and Dolan’s second triple scored Nick Blackson (running for catcher Metz). The Lopes kept it at 8-4 the rest of the way to earn their 16th victory of the season against 3 losses. Starter Zahn went two innings with 3 Ks, and Jackson Krul took the laboring oar on the mound for the Lopes, picking up the middle 3 innings and earning the win. Dolan finished things off on the mound with 2 scoreless innings.
Avonworth will conclude its regular season next week with a good tune-up for the playoffs as they take the road to face 5A power Pine-Richland next Wednesday at 4PM.