UNIVERSITY PARK — South Park coach Corey Fischer tucked his silver medal in his back pocket and looked across the way at Bermudian Springs celebrating.
Fischer’s team has been close to securing two gold medals in recent weeks, but twice they have been snatched from under the Eagles wings.
On Friday afternoon, it was Bermudian Springs starter Branson Diller who outdueled South Park ace Cooper Hochendoner as the District 3 champion took gold for the second time in the PIAA Class 3A title game, 1-0 at Penn State’s Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
It was a pitching duel fit for a title game. Hochendoner went six and struck out 10, allowing two hits and walking one. Diller went the full seven and scattered five hits, striking out five.
South Park, outside of the state quarterfinals and semifinals, has had trouble piecing together hits. Diller was the main reason on this day.
“I thought he was very good,” Fischer said. “He located his fastball well. I thought he had good movement. He had a big frame. I thought he threw that breaking ball, changeup really well. He threw it in 3-2 counts, which is especially difficult for guys to hit because they’re all sitting on that and he located it, threw it at the knees and it dropped at the shins. It’s a tough pitch to hit, and our guys watched it a few times.”
The top four in the order for South Park (20-7) — Talan Glowa, Hochendoner, Ryan Spitznagel and Andrew Mittlieder — combined to go 1 for 10 against Diller.
Hochendoner did his part, allowing just two hits.
In the bottom of the second with the game scoreless, Jaxsyn Stottlemyer led off with a bloop single to left for Bermudian Springs (24-4). He stole second and advanced to third on a Nate Ogle fielder’s choice.
No. 7 hitter Brodie Ferrebee then lifted a fly out to right field. Stottlemyer tagged, and South Park cut off the throw, allowing Stottlemyer to get to home safely for the only run of the game.
Hochendoner worked with his usual tempo and pitched better as the game wore on, but the Eagles couldn’t capitalize on chances to get him run support.
In the top of the third, South Park had its best chance after Ryan Lavery led off with a single to left field. But the next batter, Robert Lenzi, lined to second, and the Bermudian defense doubled up Lavery.
Glowa was then hit by a pitch and stole second, allowing Hochendoner a chance to get him home to tie the score, but the Slippery Rock recruit struck out, part of an 0-for-3 day.
“They got the run the way they did,” Fischer said. “We didn’t get enough hits. We got a few guys on base. It was kind of the story of most our losses. Cooper always keeps us in the game. He’s phenomenal. He’s the best pitcher in the state, and it’s not close. We’ve got to get him run support to get him two gold medals instead of none.”
In the seventh, with one gone and trying to string together one final chance, Johnny Parris hit a sharp grounder to short, which beat the backhand of Lane Hubbard. Willy Hays followed with a single to shallow center, and Nolan Oliphant did his part with a fielder’s choice to advance the runners.
That left it up to Lavery, who flipped an 0-1 pitch to left to end the game.
“We had five hits, Fischer said. “Most importantly for (Diller), we weren’t able to scratch a run across. It would’ve been nice to get the big hit and get a few runs.”