Panthers Dispatch Raiders; Advance in Dulles
STERLING, VA - In the quarter final matchup between Potomac Falls and Loudoun County the Panthers scored 5 runs in the first inning and never looked back. The final, after the dust settled, saw the Panthers take the 9-2 victory.
The Raiders scored two runs in the first inning off of Michael Detaranto when Bret Tagg hit a double to right field and scored when Spencer Johnson followed with a shot over the left fielders head for another double. Connor Courtney then followed with a single to center field to score Johnson and put the Raiders up 2-0.
Potomac Falls responded with 5 runs on 5 hits in their half of the inning. Rob Malan led off with a single to right field followed by Greg Woodlief's single to left field that left Malan at third. Woodlief then stole second base and Aaron Sweger knocked both runners in with a triple to right field. Sweger scored on an infield groundout by Mike Spring. Pat Nightingale then hit a single up the middle and moved to third on Chris Pelto's single to right. Chad McMichael was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Nightingale scored on a fielder's choice by Eric Dimsey. Pelto then scored on a wild pitch to give the Panthers the 5-2 lead.
The Panthers then added two in the second inning when Malan collected his second single to center field. Sweger then hit a drive to right field that Johnson was tracking but as he reached up to make the catch, he hit the fence and dropped the ball. Malan scored and Sweger ended up on third base. Sweger then scored on a passed ball to make the score 7-2.
Potomac Falls added insurance runs in the 4th and 6th innings on and RBI single by Pelto and a sacrifice fly by Mike Spring. Detaranto went the distance for Potomac Falls and Connor Courtney pitched 6 innings for Loudoun County.
The Panthers will now host the semi final game against Park View on Tuesday at Panther Park at 6:00.
