Kline Boosts Panthers To State Tournament Entry
POTOMAC FALLS, VA - Last year at this time, Potomac Falls was riding home on the bus after a heart breaking 8th inning loss to Brentsville. Jacob Kline, and the rest of the Panthers, made sure they would not repeat that ill feeling again this year. With the Dulles District Player of the Year on the mound at Panther Park, the Panthers scored 5 runs in the first 3 innings to give Kline more than enough of a lead that he needed in beating Western Albemarle 5 -1 in the Region II Semi-Finals.
The Panthers took advantage of Western Albemarle's starter Dillion Via's wildness in the 1st inning. Ben Sweger led off with a 3-2 walk followed by a single up the middle by Ryan Mahoney. Rob Malan was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Mike Spring walked on 5 pitches to give the Panthers the lead. Mahoney then scored on a Ryan Miller groundout and Matt Rubino followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Malan.
In the third, Kline helped himself with a 2 RBI single to right field. Prior to that, Spring had walked and Miller had singled to left. Matt Hoover walked to load the bases for Kline.
With the Panthers up 5 - 0, Kline settled into his comfort zone only giving up 3 hits through 6 innings. The Warriors started to mount a threat in the 7th when Nick Kuzjak started with a walk. After a strikeout and fly out, Peter Hurley slapped a hit to right field. Ryan Hughes then followed with a single to left. On the play, Kuzjak was safe at the plate on a good throw from Mahoney. Kline then induced Nick Pegan to ground to Sweger to end the game and send the Panthers into the finals.
Ryan Mahoney lead the Panthers with 2 hits and Ben Sweger reached base 4 times on a double and 3 walks. Jacob Kline had 2 RBI's and struckout 7 on his way to the victory.
With the win, the #2 seed Panthers secure a spot in the State Tournament next week and will face the winner of #1 seed Orange County vs #4 seed Sherando game that was rescheduled for Thursday, due to rains in Orange County Wednesday. The Regional Championship will then be played on Friday with the site being determined by the highest seed.
