Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Game Recap: Somerset @ Bishop McCort

March 30, 2014

By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting 

somerset 7, Bishop McCort 5

Somerset and Bishop McCort hooked up yesterday for the first of two meetings this season in what has become one of the better regular season, non-conference rivalries in the state. On a day that started with temperatures in the upper 40s and ended with a chilly mist and temperatures diving towards the upper 30s, the two backyard rivals found it only fitting to go extra innings.

Ross DirienzoSomerset jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when lead-off hitter Tanner Stahl (Washington & Jefferson football commit) walked and later scored on a wild pitch. Gannon commit Ross Dirienzo also scored when Raven Beeman lined a solid one-out single to left field.

Bishop McCort starting pitcher Ethan Neiderhiser mowed through the Golden Eagles lineup for the next four innings allowing the Crushers to tie the game in the bottom of the third and to then take a 3-2 lead on a Nathan Neiderhiser two-out single in the bottom of the 5th inning.

Alex DirienzoSomerset eventually got to Ethan Neiderhiser in the 6th inning scoring three times highlighted by Akron recruit Alex Dirienzo's line drive double off the left center field wall to begin the inning. With a 5-3 lead Somerset coach Steve Costera made a pitching change relieving starter Ross Dirienzo with twin brother Alex.

The Crushers went in order in the 6th but mounted a one out rally in the 7th inning to tie the game and force extra innings. Jeremy Adams' two-run double to right field was the key blow and appeared to set the Crushers up favorably to win the game. Adams advanced to third on the throw to the plate prompting Costera to make the decision to walk 3-hitter Nathan Neiderhiser and 4-hitter Brad Coleman to load the bases with one out. The plan worked to perfection as Dirienzo got out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground ball to second base.

Somerset scored two runs for the win in the 9th inning in unique fashion utilizing a walk, a hit batter and an attempted sacrifice bunt that resulted in a hit and a two-base error to score both runners.


News & Notes:

+ McCort, ranked #1 in the PBR Super 16 Class A rankings, started Ethan Neiderhiser on the mound. The Crushers also have Nathan Neiderhiser (Youngstown State recruit), Brad Coleman (Pitt-Johnstown recruit) and Justin Vardian (Penn State recruit) in their stable of arms.

+ Somerset entered this season knowing that pitching was going to be a key to its success. The Eagles lost 90% of the innings from their 2013 pitching staff. Among the key losses were RHP Ian Stiffler (signed with Atlanta Braves, 7th round draft pick) and RHP Drew Hemminger (Potomac State). In addition to the Dirienzo brothers, '15 RHP Michael Valenteen is the only other pitcher with previous varsity experience.

+ Somerset stole eight bases in the game.

+ In a game with a number of interesting turns, Somerset 1B Bryce Mostoller's line drive in the 6th inning that went through the web of 1B Nathan Neiderhiser's glove may have been the most unique.

 

Additional PA news: