Five-run first sends Wild Things to finals
Wild Things players celebrate Friday night after sweeping Evansville to advance to the Frontier League championship series.
Wild Things Reydel Medina gets the second out of a double play at first against Otters’ Mike Rizzitello
The Wild Things celebrate a series win over the Evansville Otters in 3 games
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Washington’s Kyle Pollock slides safely into third base Friday night ahead of the tag of Evansville’s Ryan Long.
Holly Tonini/for the Observer-Reporter
Wild Things closer Zach Strecker set a league record for saves Tuesday night.
Wild Things Michael Austin started the game for the Wild Things
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Washington manager Gregg Langbehn celebrates after the Wild Things completed a sweep of Evansville Friday night to advance to the franchise’s third Frontier League championship series appearance.
If you are a fan of the Wild Things and interested in their pursuit of a Frontier League championship, and also enjoy college football, then you will not have to make a tough decision tonight.
The Wild Things made sure their first-round playoff series against Evansville would not overlap with the Pitt-Penn State football game at Heinz Field.
Michael Austin pitched six shutout innings and combined with three relievers on an eight-hitter, and Washington scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning Friday night, for a 5-0 victory and sweep of the best-of-5 series.
Washington advances to the league championship series for the first time since 2007 and third time in franchise history. The Wild Things are seeking their first league title.
The other first-round series, between Joliet and West Division champion River City, was tied 1-1 entering Friday night. River City led 8-0 in the third inning of Game 3 when rain came and eventually caused it to be suspended. Games 3 will be resumed today and followed by Game 4.
The Wild Things will have home-field advantage for the best-of-5 finals, which are scheduled to start Tuesday night. Washington will host Game 1, Game 2 Wednesday and Game 5, if necessary, Monday, Sept. 17.
At least one person in the Wild Things’ front office is especially glad the initial series is over. Vice president and general manager Steve Zavacky, a longtime Penn State season-ticket holder, had a message for manager Gregg Langbehn prior to Game 3.
“He said, ‘You have to finish this tonight,'” Langbehn recalled.
And the Wild Things wasted no time in doing so. After winning the first two games of the series at Evansville, Washington scored five times in the bottom of the first inning of Game 3 and knocked out Otters starting pitcher Ty Hensley, a former first-round draft pick of the New York Yankees, who had pitched well late in the season for Evansville.
Hensley walked Wild Things leadoff hitter James Harris, himself a former first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. One out later, Reydel Medina singled to left field and Hector Roa followed with a fly ball that dropped just inside the right-field foul line and rolled into the corner. Harris and Medina raced around the bases to score and Roa slid into third base with a two-run triple.
Carter McEachern, who had three hits in Game 2, grounded out to second base as Roa scored to give Washington a 3-0 lead.
Kyle Pollock continued the inning with a broken-bat single, Ryan Cox followed with a single and Conner Simonetti drew a walk that loaded the bases and ended the night for Hensley.
“No excuses,” said Evansville manager Andy McCauley. “That’s not the start we needed, especially when we’ve been having trouble scoring.”
Tanner Cable was brought in to pitch for Evansville and gave up a two-run single through the left side of the infield to Dom Iero, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, and Washington led 5-0.
“You could not have asked for a better start,” Langbehn said. “That start got them back on their heels. At the time, I couldn’t envision it staying 5-0.”
That was, however, the only scoring of the night. Austin, a righthander who was signed at midseason, was stellar through his six innings. Austin scattered five hits, did not issue a walk and struck out seven.
“That’s the first time we saw Austin and he really throws the ball well,” McCauley said. “He pounded the strike zone.”
Meanwhile, Cable, and Austin Nicely combined to throw shutout ball for the Otters and allowed only one hit, a triple by Pollock in the sixth, after the first inning.
Evansville, however, couldn’t take advantage of its stellar relief pitching because Austin, and relievers Jake Eaton, Jesus Balaguer and Zach Strecker, kept the Otters off the scoreboard. Evansville had only two baserunners reach third base.
“A big key for us was Evansville’s big hitters never got in a rhythm,” Langbehn said. “They had a couple of doubles in the series, but we didn’t walk a lot of guys.
“We came out very focused and with a lot of energy. We were determined to put an end to it. That’s a credit to the players. They’re very driven.”
Austin said it helped that the second time he went to the mound he was working with a five-run lead.
“It definitely helped but it didn’t change anything for me. I had to attack their hitters. The whole thing was about being aggressive and going right after people and make them hit to get on base.”
Evansville did outhit Washington, 8-6.
“My hat’s off to Washington,” McCauley said. “They had the best record in the league and they outplayed us.”