Radford Bound: Kline Lifts Panthers To 3-2 Win
Potomac Falls' Ryan Mahoney beats the throw to home to score the Panthers first run in the bottom of the 1st inning. The Panthers would put up two runs in the 1st and then would be held scoreless until the bottom of the 9th when pitcher Jake Kline hit the game winning RBI single to send the Panthers to the State Semifinals...
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Senior shortstop Rob Malan, who will play for the VCU Rams next year, was solid offensively and defensively for the Panthers. Malan was 2-for-3 on the evening with 2 doubles, 1 RBI and 1 run scored in the 3-2 extra inning thriller...
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Grafton shortstop Ali Rodriquez made some high caliber defensive plays for the Clippers in Tuesday night's State Quarterfinal contest against the Potomac Falls Panthers. Not only did he get it done defensively, Rodriguez had a double and scored a run in the hard luck loss...
Photo By: Dave Bernhardt / Gameday Magazine | VIEW GALLERY
POTOMAC FALLS, VA - When you ask Panther head coach Joe Terango about his senior leader Jake Kline, you get a big smile and nothing but admiration. That's for good reason as Kline did everything but work the concession stand on Tuesday to help Potomac Falls beat Grafton 3-2 in extra innings.
The Panthers jumped on the Clippers in the bottom of the 1st inning when Ryan Mahoney walked, and then scored on Rob Malan's stand-up double. Potomac Falls led 1-0, but they weren't finished as Mike Spring then singled to move Malan to third. Ryan Miller grounded into a fielder's choice, but his slow roller allowed Malan to score to give Potomac Falls a 2-0 lead after one inning.
Grafton threatened in the top of the 2nd inning, putting two runners on with two outs, but Kline got Randy Hiser to pop out to Ben Sweger at second to end the inning.
Cody Moore held the Panther hitters in check in the bottom of the second inning, and in the top of the 3rd, the Clippers got some things moving offensively.
Ali Rodriguez scored the 1st run for Grafton when Ryan Johansen laid down a bunt that forced a close play at first base. Mike Spring's throw to second baseman Ben Sweger was on time, but knocked out of Sweger's glove by Johansen.
That allowed Rodriguez to score from second on the play to cut the Panther lead in half, 2-1. With Johansen on first, Bobby Donze singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Kline then got Robbie Brownschidle to pop out for the first out of the inning.
Moore then stepped to the plate and singled off of Matt Rubino's glove at 3rd to plate Johansen, tying the score at 2-2. The Clippers threatened with runners in scoring position, but Kline battled back and forced two pop flies to retire the side without further damage.
Sweger led off the bottom of the 3rd inning with a pop up to left field, and Moore retired Ryan Mahoney with a strikeout. Then Malan hammered his second consecutive double to the left centerfield wall, and moved to third when the cut off throw was mishandled by Grafton.
Moore got Mike Spring to swing at a curveball in the dirt, stranding Malan and keeping the score tied at 2-2 heading to the top of the 4th inning.
Back and forth, Moore and Kline climbed out of jams, and time and time again both pitchers kept the game knotted up at 2-2. The Panthers threatened again in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings, but in a freakish way, each time Grafton turned double plays to squash the scoring opportunities for Potomac Falls.
Throwing well over 100 pitches in 8 innings of work, Kline took the mound in the top of the 9th and successfully retired the Grafton hitters to give the Panthers a chance to win it in the bottom half of the inning. Little did those in attendance know, Kline would be the hero offensively too.
Grafton replaced Moore on the mound with senior lefty Chris Moyer, and Potomac Falls took advantage of the change. Panther sophomore Matt Rubino watched four straight pitches miss the zone, and headed to first with a walk to lead the bottom of the 9th inning off.
Rubino then advanced to second on a pitch in the dirt with designated hitter Matt Hoover at the plate. Moyer got Hoover to fly out to right field for the first out of the inning, and that brought Kline to the plate.
Kline had been fantastic on the hill during the evening, yet his offensive performance was pretty impressive too. He was 1 for 3 with a single before he stepped into the batter's box, but his final at bat will be remembered by Panther fans for a long time to come.
Moyer got ahead in the count, but Kline battled back to even it up with two balls and two strikes. After Kline fouled a couple of good pitches from Moyer out of play, the left pitcher decided to toss a fastball over the plate.
Kline took a short and compact swing at Moyer's delivery, and knocked it into centerfield. Panther 3rd base coach Joe Terango didn't hesitate, his arms flailing as he waived Rubino home rounding third.
The play at the plate wasn't close as Rubino scored easily to give the Panthers a monumental 3-2 victory. Before Rubino could even get up, he was mobbed by his teammates as they rushed the home plate area in celebration.
"I just wanted to step up for my team," Rubino said after the celebration calmed down a bit. "I hope we can do it in the semi's."
Rubino's parents were unable to attend Tuesday's big game, but they listened live from Okanawa, Japan on the Gameday Radio Network. The time difference made it Wednesday morning in Japan.
The win gave Potomac Falls a berth in the state semifinals on Friday against Poquoson at 10am. It is the third time head coach Joe Terango has seen his program advance to the final four in the state, and that made it a special day for the veteran skipper.
"We played a game similar to this in South Carolina, and it wasn't the same type of game, but it was nip and tuck the entire game down there," Terango said. "We ended up winning that one, and we ended up winning this one the same way. I'm just really proud of our guys."
As for Kline, Terango couldn't say enough about his performance.
"Jake Kline is just an all-around baseball player, we've loved having him here," Terango said. "He just shows up every day to play, and we have a great appreciation for his skills."
Kline, who by the end of the game had thrown 135 pitches, struck out 9 batters and scattered 11 hits in the complete game win. The senior said that his only focus was to get his team to Radford.
"I knew we were going to score the last run," Kline said. "I just told myself that I needed to put the ball in play and I knew if I hit it up the middle, we would score."
Senior Rob Malan put in a stellar performance too, finishing the day with two doubles that were laced to left center, and he also scored a run in the contest. Malan said after the game that it was big that this Panther senior class could help their head coach make another trip to Radford.
"Coach Terango has worked his butt of for us, and it feels really good to be able to get him down to Radford," Malan said.
Speaking of Radford, GamedayMagazine.com will have the live broadcast for you on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 10am. Our live pregame coverage will begin at 9:50am on the Gameday Radio Network. Should Potomac Falls win, Gameday will also broadcast the state championship game on Saturday.
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Jake Kline - Potomac Falls Pitcher
Kline was just as good as usual, scattering 11 hits over 9 innings, while striking out 9 Grafton hitters in the 3-2 win. The senior gave up some hard hits, but never allowed the Clippers to rattle him, and his poise helped the Panthers lock in their first trip to Radford in the state semifinals.
Bobby Donze - Grafton 1st Baseman
Donze was a man amongst boys on Tuesday, going 4 for 4 with two doubles and two singles. He scored a run and finished the night with 1 RBI. He also played well in the field at first base.
COACH HAYES' ANALYSIS:
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I've known Joe Terango since the late 90's when my little sister Sarah helped the Panthers as a baseball manager. He is a man of integrity and a super baseball coach, and Potomac Falls plays the game the right way. His teams in the past have flirted with a title run, but this 2009 squad has the best chance to bring it home. The big question will be whether or not the pitching rotation can be as masterful on Friday as Jake Kline was on Tuesday. If Potomac Falls gets a performance from Dimsey like they did against Orange last week, this Panther team could be playing for all the marbles on Saturday.
Poquoson is a team that has won all but one game this season, and they have a tradition of excellence as well. It should be a fantastic showdown on Friday, and we can't wait to bring it to you back home.
