Mirror photo of Patrick Waksmunski Sid Grove of Everett is greeted by Karl Foor after scoring a run.
EVERETT — Counting Monday, the past two PIAA playoff appearances for District 6 runner-up Portage have been heartbreaking, to say the least.
In their last appearance in a state tournament in 2016, the Mustangs fell to Serra Catholic in a tight play. Against District 5 champion Everett, Portage saw another loss in his opponent’s final at-bat.
With the game tied at 3, Karl Foor hit a grounder to second base that was misread by a Portage infielder, allowing Calvin Iseminger to score from second and give the Warriors a 4-3 victory over the Mustangs, in what was a seventh-inning debacle at Everett Elementary School.
“It was a good baseball game,” Portage coach Larry McCabe said. “Both teams kicked the ball around a little bit. The bottom line is that we fought, they fought. We gave everything we had and fell short. I cannot fault our effort. I have seen many things as a coach. That’s just baseball.”
The seventh inning was the lonely frame in which the Mustangs made a mistake, and the downhill drop began with an unfortunate bounce.
Portage carried a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning when pitcher Tyler Alexander walked to the mound after throwing 100 pitches. The Mustangs ace struck out Kason Hinish before hitting the pitch limit. Andrew Miko relieved Alexander and also struck out Everett’s next batter, Karson Reffner, but Miko’s curveball hit home plate and went over the backstop, awarding Reffner first base.
Iseminger then reached on an error at first, putting runners on second and third with one out. Following an intentional walk to Sid Grove, Dalton Shaw singled to right field, generating two runs for the Warriors, and the celebration began.
But, McCabe made a decision.
“Clearly, I saw the guy (Karson Reffner) lose third base,” McCabe said. “Then I saw the Malaysian here, everybody jumping over each other, celebrating the game-winning hit and all that, and I said, ‘He missed third base, and we’re going to pass and appeal.’ The referee saw it too.”
Alexander took the ball and stepped onto third base, and Reffner was called out for losing the base. The Mustangs then proceeded to tag out both second and first base, respectively, saying outs should be called due to Warriors runners being off the baselines during the celebration.
The four umpires met by the pitcher’s mound and decided that the Everett runners could return to first and second base.
“I think the seventh inning took as long as the whole game,” Everett coach Travis Klahre said. “For some reason, they say our guy can’t get to third base. Obviously I’m going to argue and defend my player, because I don’t think the base has been lost. If I feel like he missed the point, I’m going to stop him. I thought he caught the corner, but the referee said, ‘no.’ He was right on top of it. However, I’m glad they got together and I think they made the right decision afterwards. It was all a disaster.”
Foor’s groundout to second on the next play sealed the win for Everett, who was making his first state playoff appearance since 2008.
“That’s one hell of a ball game,” Klahr said. “It doesn’t matter which team won today, luckily it was us, but there were two great baseball clubs on that field. Portage’s head can’t be down after the season he’s had. Tremendous year and team in general. Alexander is a great pitcher.”
Alexander finished the game pitching 6 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while walking six and striking out nine. The senior surpassed the 100-strikeout mark when he fanned the Warriors side in order in the sixth inning.
Everett claimed the first run of the game when Foor hit Grove with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second. Portage responded in the next half inning with a two-run single by Andrew Miko. The Warriors tied the score at 2-2 when Shaw recorded Everett’s second sacrifice fly in the fifth.
The Mustangs then took their final lead of the game when Adam Stauski hit an RBI single in the top of the sixth. After starting the season with 20 consecutive wins, Portage closed his year with consecutive losses.
“I’m really going to miss these older adults,” McCabe said. “There were five of them that played, and they all had their turn to be successful and do great things. It’s a sad way to say goodbye to a group of great kids and great athletes, because they played multiple sports. I am very happy for them, and they will be greatly missed.”
Game notes: Calvin Iseminger crossed home plate for the winning run on an error by Portage. … Iseminger also earned the victory on the mound after pitching a scoreless seventh inning and was the only Everett player with multiple hits.
PORTAGE (3): Alexander p-ss 310, Claar ss-2b 401, Miko cf-p 402, Scarton 1b 400, Irvin c 300, Jubina 3b 300, Kargo 2b-cf 313, Moore lf 301, Stauski rf 311. Totals –30-3-8.
EVERETT (4): Mellott p-ss 200, Hinish 2b 400, Reffner ss-1b 421, Iseminger 1b-p 412, Grove cf 111, Shaw 3b 301, Foor rf 300, Klotz dh 100, Zinn 301. Totals–25- 4-6.
ENTRY SCORE
Portage 002 001 0–3 8 2
Everett 010 010 2–4 6 3
E–Scarton, Claar, Hinish, Reffner, Foor. 2B–Iseminger. 3B–Grove. RBI–Miko 2, Stauski, Shaw 2, Foor. WP–Iseminger. LP-Miko. SO–Alexander 9, Miko 1, Mellott 6, Iseminger 2. BB–Alexander 6, Miko 1, Mellott 1.
Records: Portage (20-2); Everett (18-2).
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