Kline Hurls Panthers to 8-0 Win Over Heritage
STERLING, VA - Jacob Kline got the Panthers back on track Wednesday night with a complete game, 3 hit shutout, over the Heritage Pride, which included 7 strikeouts, and Aaron Sweger led the hitting attack going 3 for 4. Potomac Falls came away with the victory, 8-0.
Potomac Falls struck early scoring 2 runs in the 1st inning off of the Pride's Andrew Zarabila. Chad McMichael started the hitting with a single to leftfield and promptly stole second base on the first pitch. Aaron Sweger followed with a single to leftfield to score McMichael and Sweger advanced to second base on the throw. Rob Malan was then hit by a pitch and Michael Spring followed with a single to leftfield to score Sweger. Zarabila then settled down and retired the next two batters.
The Panthers added a run in the 3rd inning on a walk to McMichael who was then erased at second base by Malan's ground ball. Malan advanced to second on a passed ball and scored when Spring got his second hit to leftfield to make the score 3-0. Meanwhile Kline was cruising through the game not giving up his first hit until the 3rd inning when Brent Peters hit an infield single. Kline promptly struckout the next batter to end the inning.
In the 4th inning, the Pride started to get something going. After a fly out to start the inning, Trey Reed hit a double to centerfield. Tom Polkowski then flew out to leftfield for the 2nd out before Zarabila ripped a pitch to leftfield for a single. Eric Dimsey made a good play on the ball and came up firing to nail Reed at the plate to preserve the shutout. The Pride never threatened again as Kline proceeded to strikeout 6 of the last 9 batters he faced and did not give up another hit.
Potomac Falls added 2 more runs in the 5th inning when Sweger led off with his 2nd hit of the game and scored on Malan's triple to centerfield. Malan then scored on a passed ball to up the score to 5-0. In the 6th inning, Kline leadoff with a single and scored on a single by Dimsey. Chris Pelto then hit a double but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Greg Woodlief followed with a sacrifice fly to score Dimsey and up the score to 7-0.
The Panthers closed out the scoring in the 7th inning when Sweger leadoff with a double to right field, moved to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Pat Nightingale.
Highlights for Potomac Falls included Jacob Kline (7 innings, 3 hits, 7 strikeouts), Aaron Sweger (3-4, 2 RBI's) and Michael Spring (2-4 with 2 RBI's)
