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Sports

Blackhawk Lets One Get Away in Extra Innings, Faces Millcreek on Thursday

Loss in the bottom of the 10th drops Blackhawk to loser's bracket in the Pennsylvania American Legion tournament.

Boyertown Post 471 proved why it's been state champion 23 times, defeating Blackhawk in Wednesday's bracket semifinal of the Pennsylvania American Legion State Tournament in West Lawn.

The Blackhawk team includes players from the and school districts.

Blackhawk took a one-run lead in the top of the 10th inning, only to see it evaporate in the home half as Boyertown narrowly escaped with a 4-3 win on a walk-off single by Chris Werner.

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Blackhawk starting pitcher Adam Rousseau battled for nine innings and was on the ropes on several occasions. Still, coach Bob Amalia stuck with his right-hander, who struck out seven and allowed only six hits, holding the Bears' vaunted offense to one earned run.

After the Bears posted a single run in the first, Rousseau did not allow a hit for the next five innings. Blackhawk snagged a 2-1 lead following a triple by Matt Emge, scoring Nick Martin and Brendan McKay, who each had singled.

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Boyertown tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, but Rousseau refused to give in and carried into extra innings.

Blackhawk’s defense was outstanding all afternoon, turning two double plays and stifling the Bears' running game. Emge threw out two Bears attempting to steal a base and picked off another in the game.

Blackhawk scored a run in the first extra frame as shortstop Tyler Thellman led off with a single. His hit was quickly followed by a sacrifice bunt by Brett Alberti.

With two outs, Nick Martin, who scored the first run of the game, delivered with a base hit up the middle to score Thellman and allow Amalia to bring in Steven O’Hara to close out the game. O'Hara had spent four innings warming in the bullpen.

O’Hara had trouble finding the strike zone, walking the first two Boyertown batters. After a wild pitch, the winning run was in scoring position for Werner, who ripped a single down the line, giving the Bears the win as it cleared the bases.

Players of the game: Right-hander Adam Rousseau’s refusal to give an inch gave Blackhawk a chance to win the game against a team that holds an unprecedented 23 states championships. Rousseau walked a few batters, but thanks to his tenacity, he was able to battle his way out of trouble.

 

 

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Other Key performers: Blackhawk catcher Matt Emge went one for four from the plate with two RBIs and a triple, but his presence defensively kept the Bears at bay as he gunned down two runners attempting to steal second, picked off another at first base, and caught two runners in rundowns.

Inside the lines:“Matt came up big again for us today,” said Blackhawk manager Bob Amalia. “Adam pitched his butt off for us and it was unfortunate we did not come away with the win. That's why you have to play until the last out is recorded. We’ll get ready to play tomorrow and come out swinging again.”

Say what? “That’s a very good team we just played,” said Bears manager Rick Moatz. “They played a very similar style to ours and had us down most of the game; we could very well see them again in this tournament. That pitcher would not quit. Even though we had chances, he found a way out and was very effective.”

Extra Innings:Blackhawk will play again today at 12:30 p.m. at Owls Field against Millcreek. The team eliminated West Hempfield on Wednesday. 

Pennsylvania State Tournament bracket at Owls Field at Ted Palka Park

GAME 1  Tuesday July 26  9:45 a.m. 

Black Hawk 11  Redland 3

 

GAME 2 Tuesday July 26  1 p.m. 

Bristol 12  West Hempfield 1

 

GAME 3 Tuesday July 26  4 p.m. 

Boyertwon 12  Plains 2

 

GAME 4 Tuesday July 26  7 p.m. 

West Lawn 11 Millcreek 8

 

GAME 5 Wednesday July 27  9:45 a.m. 

Redland 13  Plains 12

 

GAME 6 Wednesday July 27 1 p.m.

Millcreek 9 West Hempfield 3

 

GAME 7 Wednesday July 27 4 p.m.

Boyertown 4 Blackhawk 3 (10 innings)

 

GAME 8 Wednesday July 27 7 p.m.

Bristol 8  West lawn 1

 

Game 9 Thursday 12:30 p.m.

Millcreek vs Blackhawk

 

Game 10 Thursday 3 p.m. 

Red Land vs West Lawn

 

Game 11 Thursday 7 p.m.

Boyertown vs Bristol  (winner advances to final)

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