Kline, Panthers, Cruise Over Fluvanna, 7-3
STERLING, VA - In the Region II quarter final match up between Potomac Falls and Fluvanna County the Panthers scored 5 runs in the third inning and that was all Jacob Kline needed as the Panthers cruised to a 7-3 opening round victory, and will advance to the semi finals against the Brentsville Tigers.
Fluvanna got to Kline in the first inning when Robert Thompson led off with a single to left field. Tyler Denby followed with a ball between third and short that Greg Woodlief could not make a play on. With two runners on Kline struckout Ryan Foster before giving up an RBI single to left by Josh Garrison to give the Flucons the lead. Keith Pillow then singled to left but Eric Dimsey came up throwing hard. The throw was cutoff by Malan and he gunned out Denby at the plate on a close play.
Potomac Falls responded with 2 runs on 3 hits in their half of the inning. Rob Malan led off with a single to right field. He advanced on a passed ball and then a balk. After a strikeout, Malan scored on a wild pitch to tie the score. Aaron Sweger then singled to left and scored on Pat Nightingale's deep double to right field to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
Kline kept the Flucos in check over the next two innings before Potomac Falls exploded for 5 runs in the third inning. Woodlief started the rally with a single to right. Sweger then followed with his second hit of the game and Mike Spring walked to load the bases. Nightingale then hit into a fielder's choice to score Woodlief. With runners on the corners, Chris Pelto hit a ball up the middle that pitcher Kyle Via tipped and Pelto was safe at first with Sweger scoring. Chad McMichael followed with a walk to load the bases and Kline helped himself with a double to right that scored all three runners and gave the Panthers a 7-1 lead.
In the fourth inning, Fluvanna picked up a run when Keith Pillow singled to right and Hunter Shepherd followed with bloop single to left. Pillow was then knocked home on a single by Thompson to left field. The scoring ended in the fifth inning when Josh Garrison doubled to deep center and scored on Justin Edwards single to right.
Potomac Falls will now play number 1 seed Brentsville on Wednesday night at 7:00, in Manassas.
