Shenandoah advances to Sectional 41 final
May 25—MIDDLETOWN — While the Shenandoah Raiders had a 6-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning, the Union County Patriots were not ready to end their season with a loss in the semifinals of Sectional 41.
Union County used multiple hits, including a two-RBI single, to shrink the lead to 6-3. This forced a pitching change as Shenandoah's lone senior, Ethan Loy, took the mound.
"(I) just wanted strikeouts," Loy said.
His mindset came through as he finished the game giving up zero hits and recorded two strikeouts to lead Shenandoah to a three-run victory and the sectional championship game.
"We've used him in situations like that more recently, especially in our last couple of conference games," Raiders coach Ryan Painter said. "We have all the confidence in the world in him."
The contest at Shenandoah started well for the Raiders (17-9). After three straight outs in the top of the first, the hosts took a 2-0 lead after a wild pitch and an error on the Patriots. After Union County (7-16) — which finished with five hits — gained its first run in the top of the third, Shenandoah — which also had five knocks — scored four straight with multiple hits including an RBI double by junior Colin Osenbaugh.
While the Patriots found some momentum in the fourth inning, the rest of the game was in the Raiders' control. Shenandoah sophomore starting pitcher Drew Fredenburg allowed five hits and three runs with five strikeouts before Loy took over.
This was the third time the teams faced each other this season, and just like the previous two battles, Shenandoah walked away with the victory.
"They have enough data on you and vice versa to understand how to attack you and how to pitch to your players," Painter said. "Union County was struggling a little bit at the plate coming into this game, but we knew that in this type of environment, they were going to be ready to go."
It'll be a similar situation in the title game Monday as the Raiders have faced Knightstown (16-8) twice already. While they won the previous two meetings against the Panthers, Painter knows Knightstown will leave everything on the field just like the Patriots did.
"I'd like to see that we have some really aggressive approaches at the plate," he said. "We don't want to miss one pitch or a good fastball. We need to make sure that we jump on it.
"But I think if we continue to execute the way that we've been executing over the past couple of weeks, we're in a good spot right now with our momentum."
The Raiders and Panthers have both won their last four games heading into the championship contest. According to Osenbaugh, however, there is one thing which stands apart from Knightstown and every other team the Raiders have faced: energy.
"We always come out of the locker room and dugout loud," he said. "I don't want to hear my thoughts when I'm in this dugout, and that's what we do. (My teammates) are energetic all game, and that gets us fired up."
Contact Zach Carter at zach.carter@heraldbulletin.com.
