By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

No. 1 Hempfield  vs. Manheim Township and Elizabethtown vs. ephrata

Manheim Township 3  #1 Hempfield 2

The updated Prep Baseball Report rankings were released at 7:00am Monday morning and the new No. 1 team in the state had less than 12 hours to enjoy the recognition before falling in a Lancaster-Lebanon League battle that ended with a controversial called strike three.

No. 1 Hempfield found itself trailing 1-0 heading to the top of the 3rd inning at Manheim Township thanks to a two-out RBI single by junior OF Sean Hennessey in the bottom of the 2nd inning. The game stayed 1-0 heading to the 5th as a result of quality pitching by Manheim Township junior RHP Carter Krick and Hempfield senior RHP Camden Hess, a Pitt-Johnstown recruit.

Hess sat 80-84 out of a high 3/4 arm slot. He mixed in a 72 mph 11/5 breaking curveball and a 71 mph changeup that he used sparingly. He went 4.1 innings and yielded two runs, one of which was earned. Hess struck out four and walked four, leaving in the 5th with the game tied.

Sophomore LHP Jon Peterson coaxed a 6-4-3 double play to get Hempfield out of a bases loaded jam in the 5th, but yielded a run in the game winning run on a double by senior 1B Jason Clifford in the 6th. Peterson sat 79-83 with some arm side run to his fastball. He used his 72 mph 1/7 breaking curveball effectively especially on the inner half to right handed hitters. Krick allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked two for the win.

Krick went the distance to pick up the win for Hempfield. Working out of the stretch from first pitch to last, Krick sat 79-82 all afternoon touching 84 several times. He utilized a low 3/4 delivery to create arm side run on his fastball and used a 10/4 breaking curveball to keep hitters off his fastball. His most effective pitch was his 72 mph changeup that he cut at times and that he turned over to get run on other occasions.

Hempfield SS Cory Gantz, a UNC-Wilmington recruit, showed his all-around talent going 2-for-3 with a walk. He drove in a run and had a double among his two hits. Gantz made several quality plays in the field, showing soft hands and an extremely quick release.

Hempfield was without the services of West Virginia recruit Shaun Corso who had surgery on his throwing shoulder earlier in the morning.

Ephrata 8  Elizabethtown 2

Millersville University recruit Brandon Miller hit a 1st inning two-run home run and the Ephrata Mounts never looked back on their way to an 8-2 win over Elizabethtown. OF Josh Gehman and C Colin Albright combined with Miller to drive in five of the Mounts runs on the evening. Albright also showcased a 2.10 pop time in cutting down a would be base stealer in the 3rd inning.

Senior RHP Seth Griffith was efficient on the mound going the distance for the win. He yielded five hits, walked one and struck out six. Griffith sat 77-80 out of a high 3/4 delivery with a 73 mph curve ball that showed tight rotation and hard 11/5 break.

• PA - Apr 8, 2013
  Scouting Notes: Doubleheader from PNC Park
• PA - Apr 8, 2013
  Daily Roundup: Games of April 7
• PA - Apr 8, 2013
  Updated Team Rankings