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Game Recap: Pleasant Valley at Parkland

April 14, 2015

By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

Connor HigginsThomas ArutaChris RabascoRhett Jacoby
    Connor Higgins          Thomas Aruta            Chris Rabasco           Rhett Jacoby

Game time temperatures in the low 70s made for great pitching conditions last night for a 7:00 game at Parkland High School. The warm night brought out a sizable crowd of fans and a host of major league scouts to see a pair of Parkland pitchers lead the Trojans to a 7-1 win.

Parkland seniors Connor Higgins (Arizona State) and Rhett Jacoby (Millersville) limited Pleasant Valley to one run on five hits as the Trojans remained perfect on the season at 7-0. Higgins, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound lefty got the start and struck out seven over four innings for the win, but not before Pleasant Valley made some noise in the initial frames.

The first inning started quietly for the Bears with their first two hitters being retired on a swinging bunt and a strikeout. Pleasant Valley rallied for a run however when Penn State Harrisburg bound shortstop Travis Van Houten singled to left, advanced to second when the ball was mishandled, moved to third base on a passed ball and scored on a single by DH Thomas Aruta. 

Pleasant Valley threatened again in the second inning, loading the bases with two outs before an inning ending double play squelched their scoring threat. Higgins registered five of his strikeouts over the next two innings and departed after four with his team leading 5-1. Jacoby was dominant in his three innings of work allowing just two singles while striking out three.

The Trojans wasted little time answering Pleasant Valley's first inning run. In the bottom of the frame shortstop Chris Rabasco, a Penn recruit, drove a curveball to the base of the left field wall to drive in two runs and later scored on a single off the bat of junior second baseman Tyler Bruno.

Parkland tacked on a pair of runs in the second and sixth innings. On the night Rabasco (2-for-3, 2 RBI, run), Jeff Strisovsky (2-for-3, 2 runs, double) and Dan Zaccaro (2-for-2) did most of the damage.

Pleasant Valley is scheduled to host Pocono Mountain East today while Parkland is back at home for a non-league game with Hazleton.


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