Sophomore sensation Ahern helps Honesdale baseball team in its championship chase
HONESDALE — The atmosphere at Keith Sutton Memorial Field Wednesday evening was nothing short of electric as Honesdale hosted Mid Valley in a crucial Lackawanna League baseball showdown.
It was the final regular season game for the Hornets, who entered the day needing a win to tie Old Forge for the top spot in Division II. And, thanks in large part to stellar pitching from Peter Modrovsky and Jared Ahern, that’s exactly what happened.
The Red & Black erupted for four runs in the second inning and then cruised to a 5-1 win.
“We’re playing well in all phases of the game right now,” said Head Coach Ernie Griffis. “Pitching has been there all year. Defensive plays are being made all over the field. We’re running the bases with purpose, and our line-up is pretty strong 1-9, which puts a ton of pressure on opposing teams.”
This victory catapults Honesdale into a special one-game playoff with Old Forge for the Division II title. The two teams currently sport identical 12-2 records.
According to Coach Griffis, the Hornets are hitting on all cylinders and primed for a big performance against the Blue Devils.
“We need to come out with energy and we need to throw strikes,” the veteran skipper said. “The game will be pitched well on both sides and the team that gives up free bases will be the team that walks away the loser.”
First pitch is slated for 4:30 p.m. Friday at Schautz Stadium in Dunmore.
Pitching prowess
Modrovsky drew the starting nod on the mound and eventually earned the win. The junior southpaw pitched 5.2 innings and allowed just one run. He scattered five hits while walking two and fanning seven.
“Peter was great again and pitching against one of the top arms in the league,” Coach Griffis said. “Peter once again showed up and gave us a strong outing, working out of some huge spots throughout the game. He just battled it out.“
Ahern came on in relief and shut down the Spartans the rest of the way. The hard-nosed southpaw worked 1.1 scoreless innings and notched one strikeout.
He mixed his pitches, changed speeds and used pinpoint control to keep Mid Valley batsmen off-balance. It’s a formula that’s been paying big dividends this year.
“I’m usually trying to get ahead in the count and then have a little bit of fun from there,” Jared said. “I’m pretty happy with how I’m pitching, but I have to give credit to my teammates. They make a lot of amazing plays behind me when I’m on the bump.”
Despite his relative youth, Ahern has evolved into a key part of Honesdale’s pitching staff. He’s appeared in nine varsity games and pitched 32 innings. To date, he has a 3-1 record, one save and a 0.87 ERA.
“Jared is a gamer,” said Coach Griffis. “He Never shows any emotion no matter the situation. Jared has pitched in a lot of big spots already in two years. And when he does, he always gives us a chance to win the game.”
Crucial win
Wednesday’s battle with Mid Valley drew a big enthusiastic crowd for two reasons.
Firstly, it was Honesdale’s final regular season home game. Secondly, the outcome would have huge implications for both the Lackawanna League championship chase and District 2 tournament seedings.
A win for the Hornets meant a tie atop the Division II standings with Old Forge and would necessitate a special one-game playoff to determine a champion. It would also give the local lads a bit of breathing room over Scranton Prep in the race for the number one Power Ranking among all Class 4A teams.
Needless to say, these facts provided Coach Griffis’ squad with plenty of incentive to bring its A-Game against Mid Valley.
The Hornets wasted no time in taking control of this one as they scored three runs early, then added on in the later innings.
Senior shortstop Nate Hugaboom paced the Red & Black offensive attack with two key hits and a run scored. Max Mickel and Nate Greene also provided some much-needed pop. Mickel smoked an RBI triple in the bottom of the second, while Greene crushed a run-scoring double in the home half of the fifth.
Joseph Curreri, Jackson Morton and Peter Modrovsky contributed big at-bats as well.
Mid Valley (12-6) tallied its lone run of the ballgame on a bloop single to center off the bat of Kaesean Wearing.
All the marbles
Friday’s one-game showdown with Old Forge promises to be a real barn burner.
The two teams met twice this spring and split the regular season series.
Honesdale posted a dominating 8-0 shutout in the first game back on April 12 thanks in large part to a brilliant pitching performance by Modrovsky. Old Forge took the second game by a score of 5-3 on May 8.
Coach Griffis likes what he’s been seeing from the Red & Black lately and is cautiously optimistic about the future.
“We are right there,” he said. “Hopefully we’re peaking at the perfect time before we head into district playoffs next week. But, I also know that baseball is a tough road. We really need to be locked in from here on out.”
Meanwhile, Ahern is totally confident that his Hornets will emerge victorious.
“I’m absolutely looking forward to Friday’s win, then moving on to districts and hopefully states,” Jared said. “I think our team definitely has the potential.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Sophomore southpaw Jared Ahern propels Honesdale into special playoff
