Morrow’s HR rallies Trojans

By JOEY GULINO, Sentinel assistant sports editor, jgulino@lewistownsentinel.com
MOUNT UNION — Shortly after hitting a walk-off home run Thursday, Mount Union’s Kyle Morrow described where the moment ranked in his baseball career.

“Right there,” he said, symbolizing the number one by pointing his index finger straight up at the sky.

The ball he hit headed in the same direction.

Morrow’s towering shot made sure Mount Union fended off a gutsy comeback by Central Cambria and earned a 4-3 win to advance to the second round of the District 6 Class AA playoffs at Mount Union Area High School.

“I’m just overwhelmed,” Trojans coach Nick Imperioli said. “Kyle is not a home run hitter, he’s good with contact. He got a pitch up to him and it was kind of a hanger, and he just jumped all over it.”

Mount Union (15-4) jumped on Central Cambria starter Eric Malisnick in the fifth inning to score the game’s first three runs. Elliot Clemens drew a leadoff walk, and after Brock Imperioli moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt, Cody Hollibaugh looped a single to score Clemens.

Hollibaugh reached third on an ensuing hit by Chuck Beaston, and Morrow squeezed him home with another bunt. Cole Walters then rifled a Malisnick offering to Red Devils third baseman Billy Kyper, who couldn’t make the play and allowed Beaston to score on an error.

But Central Cambria’s Jeff Wasilewski scored on an error in the sixth, and another error and a sacrifice fly tied the game up in the top of the seventh.

“We were all kind of down,” Morrow said of the team in the middle of the seventh. “We didn’t know what we were going to do, but we pulled through it.”

Trojans starter Sean Dixon got his team through the first five innings unscathed before the unearned run in the sixth.

Brock Goodling pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief and picked up the win.

“Sean pitched very well,” coach Imperioli said. “I think he was getting a little tired out there. I said well, if you’re tired, let’s get out of here and see what Brock can do. I thought Brock did well, too.

“We live with pitching and defense. We made a bad play out there in the seventh and it hurt. Give this team a lot of credit. They didn’t hang their heads.”

With two outs and runners at the corners in the top of the seventh, Goodling made a huge pitch to strike out Central Cambria cleanup hitter Shane McGregor.

And that helped set the stage for Morrow, who rocketed Malisnick’s 1-2 pitch over the wall to end the game.

“I kind of figured he was going to throw me a curveball,” Morrow said, “because he gave me three fastballs on the outside corner. I knew he was coming with a curveball.”

Mount Union will now hit the road to take on Bishop McCort in the second round of the District 6 Class AA playoffs on Monday.

“I’m just very proud of these kids today,” coach Imperioli said.