Raiders fall in 'final four'

The dust had barely settled from Cameron County's historic high school baseball season Monday night when many fans began looking ahead to next year.

With a lineup of eight juniors and a sophomore, the Red Raiders gave the senior-laden Johnsonburg Rams all they could handle at St. Marys' jampacked Berwind Park before dropping a tough 2-1 decision that ended their season.

The Rams headed to Friday's state championship game in Altoona against Minersville, while the Raiders returned home as the most successful team in school history. That distinction may not last long, said Raider coach Dick Harrier.

"We'll be back next year -- bigger and stronger," Harrier pointed out.

Johnsonburg (21-1) tacked on three of the Raiders' five losses this year, but each of those games could have gone either way. Two of the Rams are headed to Division I college baseball programs next season and others may also play collegiate ball at smaller schools.

Everyone expected a pitchers' duel as Penn Statebound Calvin Grumley squared off against Raider junior Jordan Crane, who had sparkled in the postseason.

In the top of the first, Cameron County loaded the bases on singles by Garrett Hornung and Crane, followed by a walk to David Lyon. Sean McManigle followed with a base hit to plate Charlie Holjencin, courtesy runner for Crane, but Grumley punched out two batters to end the threat.

He was in complete control from that point forward, never allowing a Raider runner beyond first base. Grumley finished with a four-hitter, striking out 12.

Nevertheless, Cameron County carried that 1-0 lead all the way to the bottom of the sixth inning. Crane benefitted from some stellar defensive plays, including a perfectly executed relay from rightfielder McManigle to second baseman Hornung and on to shortstop Cory Reed for a tag at second.

It all came unraveled in the fateful sixth, after Tobias Streich, who is headed for West Virginia University, singled and his brother Seth Streich was intentionally walked. Tobias was nailed at the plate for the second out, as he tried to score on a grounder to third stroked by Craig Carrow. Lyon, the catcher, held on despite a jarring collision at the plate.

But Crane unleashed a wild pitch that allowed Seth Streich to score the tying run. Then Vince Vavala chipped a spinning dribbler toward the Bermuda Triangle, between second base, first base and the mound. The ball glanced off the ground and caromed toward the first base line.

Alertly, Carrow continued his mad sprint from second base all the way around third and scored what proved to be the winning run.

Grumley held up well despite a long outing in high heat and humidity as he nailed down the win in the seventh. Matt Kriner's one-out fly ball carried deep to center field before being hauled in.

Hornung boarded with a walk to put the potential tying run on base, but Grumley got the call on a questionable pitch on the inside corner, retiring Crane on strikes to end the game.