Southern Fulton's quick start dooms Rockwood in D5 title contest
Jun. 2—EVERETT — Second-seeded Southern Fulton scored seven runs over the first two innings, and top-seeded Rockwood never completely recovered as the Indians defeated the Rockets 13-3 in the District 5 Class 1A baseball title game on Wednesday.
"Congratulations to coach (Kent Hendershot) and their team," Rockwood coach Steve Barto said. "Southern Fulton is a really good team. It seems like we've been battling them the last four or five years now.
"Like in any sport, if you let somebody that's really good get up on you, it's hard to battle from behind," Barto said.
"That's what we ran into today. We made a couple mistakes early, got behind and we just had to fight our way back.
"They just played well."
As the District 5 runner-up, Rockwood (15-5) will face District 6 champion Bishop McCort Catholic on Monday in the first round of the PIAA Class 1A tournament.
"Another good team," Barto said. "They're well-coached just like other teams in the playoffs are now.
"There are no 'gimmes' now."
Southern Fulton (18-5) collected 12 hits and capitalized on five Rockwood errors to build the early lead and then tacked on four more runs in the top of the seventh at the Everett High School field. The Indians will play District 6 runner-up Williamsburg in the first round of the state tournament.
"We settled into the game," Barto said.
"Nerves got the best of us in the first inning. We misplayed some balls. Until we had to go deep into our pitching rotation in the sixth and seventh inning, we kind of cut into (the deficit)."
Konner Pittman had three hits and scored three runs for Southern Fulton.
Ethan Powell reached base three times, on a walk and twice on errors, and scored three runs. Trayton Younker had three hits and two RBIs, and Dane Harvey and Zach Price each had two hits and three RBIs.
"We knew these guys could hit. We knew they were solid and strong," Barto said. "I decided to go with (starter Carson) Modrak, try to get him through it and bring Jack (Pletcher) in to finish."
Modrak pitched into the second inning, and Pletcher threw from the second into the seventh inning before Jonathon Felesky finished for the Rockets.
No. 9 hitter Davis Breuning had a bunt single with one out in the third inning to break up a no-hitter by Southern Fulton starter Holden Stotler.
Breuning had two hits, while Aaron Show had a hit and drove in a run. Carson Brown and Andrew Weaver also had hits for the Rockets.
"My motto is, first of all, we play small ball here at Rockwood," Barto said. "We have only so many athletes, and they're all excellent athletes. The second thing is we don't quit. Whatever happens in the game, I demand that we win with class, we lose with class. That's the way my program has been run and the way I'm going to keep it going."
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
