The Abington High baseball team chose a bad time to have their worst defensive game in weeks.
The Green Wave made five errors that led directly to runs as the team dropped the Division 4 state title game to Hopkins Academy, 3-0.
“I don’t think we made five errors in the last four weeks combined,” Coach Steve Perakslis said following the game, which was played under a gray, misty sky at Springfield College.
Abington pitchers Aidan O’Donnell and Stephen Madden pitched well, letting up just five hits while striking out six. However, Hopkins senior pitcher Jack Feltovic was simply better, holding the Green Wave offense to two hits. Only one Abington runner made it to third base, and it was in the sixth inning
“He’s a very good pitcher,” Perakslis said.
Being down early in the game appeared to throw his team off, with some Green Wave batters changing how they approached their at-bats.
“We panicked a bit,” Perakslis said. “Our at-bats weren’t as strong as they could have been. “
O’Donnell started strong, recording three strikeouts in the first inning. However, Abington infielders Ryan Tobin and Ed Reilly made a pair of errors allowing Hopkins to score a run without recording a hit.
In the third inning, Feltovic singled, advanced to third on the next batter following a throwing error by Siegel, and then scored when O’Donnell threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt at first.
In the fifth inning, O’Donnell misplayed a towering popup allowing Hopkins Academy batter Patrick Fitzgibbons to reach first. Following a ground out, Hopkins batters managed to tie a pair of base hits together – the only time either team did so all day – pushing Fitzgibbons across the plate for a 3-0 lead.
“You can’t make five errors in six innings and expect to win,” Perakslis said.
Abington batters fouled off a number of pitches all day long but could never straighten them out to create a sustained rally. Matt Maguire and Ryan Tobin both had long outs to left center field that were flagged down. John Polito made it to third base following a base hit, a stolen base, and a fielder’s choice, but was stranded there.
Perakslis gathered his team around him one last time following the championship trophy presentation, and told them “today wasn’t our day.” But he said they should leave the field with their heads held high after enduring one of the oddest seasons ever – a season that started with masks on and ended almost a month after the team’s seniors has received their diplomas.
“I could not be more proud,” Perakslis said.
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