Box Score SUMTER, S.C. - The Harford baseball team stayed alive in the 2014 NJCAA Eastern District Championships with a 10-6 victory over ASA on Saturday. They advance in the consolation bracket to face the loser of USC Sumter/Spartanburg Methodist at 6 p.m. Austin Griffie pitched into the eighth inning in his best start in a Harford uniform and the bullpen held it down for him in the do-or-die contest. Facing elimination, Griffie battled out of jams and seemed to be cruising before running into trouble with two outs in the eighth inning.
The righthander struck out the first two batters of the frame, but the 7-8-9 hitters all connected on two-out singles and head coach
Tom Eller made the switch to
John Hetterman in the 'pen with Harford clinging to a 6-4 lead. Hetterman allowed an infield single to third but two runs scored on the play after a throwing error by
Brandon Smith, tying the game at 6-6.
The Fighting Owl offense had an answer in the bottom of the eighth, however, as Smith atoned for his mishap with an RBI-single. Harford scored four times in the frame to regain the lead and eliminate the Avengers.
Jake Molison went 5-for-5 in the contest and
Daulton Weeks and Smith both knocked in a pair in the Fighting Owl victory.
Justin Malehorn,
Cody Brittain, Weeks and Smtih all had two hits after the entire team was held to just two hits in Friday's loss.
The Fighting Owls get right back at it, trying to make it to their second-straight Championship Sunday at 6 p.m. You can hear the call from Riley Park by
clicking this link.
