Panthers Defeat Freedom; Clinch Dulles Title
SOUTH RIDING, VA - Potomac Falls (11-0) clinched the regular season Dulles District Championship with a
10 - 4 win over Freedom (0 - 10) on Friday Night. Andrew Coyle picked up the win for the Panthers and Eric Dimsey got the save with 3 strong innings of relief as the Panthers scored in 6 of the 7 innings.
The Panthers got on board in the 1st when Rob Malan singled and then proceeded to steal 2nd and 3rd base before scoring on Mike Spring's single to left. Freedom came back and took the lead scoring twice in the 2nd inning. Kyle Groome and Ali Moosvi both drew walks before being knocked in when Matt Murphy hit a double to the right field gap.
Potomac Falls then scored 3 runs in the 3rdwhen Malan walked and Spring reached on an error. Ryan Miller then hit a double to left field to score both runners. Miller then scored when Matt Rubino singled to right field to put the Panthers up 4-2. The Eagles then threatened in their half of the inning when Brendon Shockley walked and scored on Dustin McIntosh's double to left center making the score 4-3.
The Panthers responded with a run in the 4th when Ben Sweger singled. He moved to 3rd on Ryan Mahoney's single and scored on a shot to short by Malan that Groome could not handle for an error.
In the 5th, Potomac Falls added 2 more runs on a throwing error. After singles by Miller and Rubino, Chad McMichael laid down a bunt that was fielded by the Eagles catcher, Matt Murphy. His throw to 1st was high and sailed into right field allowing both runners to score making the score 7-3.
At this point, Eric Dimsey entered the game and held the Eagles to 3 hits over the last 3 innings. The Panthers added 2 more runs in the 6th on singles by Sweger and Mahoney, a walk by Malan and an RBI single by Spring and a fielder's choice by Miller. The final run came in the 7th on a double by McMichael and a sacrifice fly by Dimsey.
Freedom scored a run in the bottom half of the 7th on a double by Kyle Severns and an RBI single by McIntosh. Dimsey then struckout Malacane to end the game and give the Panthers the District Championship.
The Panthers banged out 12 hits and Sweger, Mahoney, Spring, Miller, Rubino, and McMichael all had two hits apiece.
