When Sports Were Played: PT put damper on first-round pick’s big day
Observer-Reporter
On the day he was drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pine-Richland’s Neil Walker played his final high school game, a loss to Peters Township in the PIAA playoffs in Washington.
Observer-Reporter
Pine-Richland’s Dale Mollenhauer tries to steal second base as he slides into the tag of Peters Township’s Sean Karpen during a PIAA playoff game played June 8, 2004.
In today’s installment of “When Sports Were Played,” we go back to June 7, 2004, when Peters Township’s baseball team ended the season for Pine-Richland and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ first-round draft pick.
Baseball fans – including the Peters Township faithful, a strong contingent from Pine-Richland and some people who were just curious – flocked to Falconi Field Monday to catch a glimpse of the Pirates’ first-round draft choice.
Wunderkind Neil Walker, the Pine-Richland catcher with the .800 postseason batting average, was the 11th selection in Monday’s Major League Baseball draft only hours before the Rams faced talented Peters Township in a first-round game in the PIAA Class AAA playoffs. During pregame introductions, he received a rousing ovation. Heck, even the Indians clapped as Walker ran toward the foul line. And Walker showed why many feel he can be the Pirates’ catcher of the future during his first at-bat.
Facing Peters Township’s sophomore pitcher Jason Conley, Walker fouled off five pitches before belting a solo home run over the right-field fence.
But Peters Township has Jim Gallagher. And he’s pretty darn good, too. With the Indians trailing 4-3, and Gallagher facing possibly the final at-bat of his high school career, he belted a game-tying solo home run in the seventh inning. Then, he provided the go-ahead single in the eighth as the Indians claimed a dramatic, come-from-behind 8-6 victory against the WPIAL champions.
“I just kept to myself a little bit while the guys all came out here (before the seventh),” Gallagher said. “I came out real focused for my at-bat and I knew something like that was going to happen.”
With the win, Peters Township (15-7) advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. Gallagher, a Duke recruit and a possible selection during the second portion of the MLB draft today, made sure of it.
“I can’t say enough about Jim Gallagher,” Peters Township coach Joe Maize said. “Before he hit that home run, I said ‘This is the kid we want to win it at the plate.’ When he hit that, I knew we were going to win.”
And the Indians did most of their late-inning damage against Walker, who pitched the final two innings and took the loss.
“Neil is one of my best friends. We’ve played baseball together since we were 12,” Gallagher said. “We talked (Sunday) before the draft but we didn’t really talk much about the game.”
Well, for one game, Gallagher has temporary bragging rights.
Peters Township opened up a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning as the hard-hitting Indians got to Rams starter Garrett Pampiks.
Ryan Maize led off with a double. Sean Karpen and Gallagher each followed with singles, the latter scoring Maize for a 1-0 lead before an out was recorded. Eric Rich’s bases-loaded walk and Jared Robison’s sacrifice fly accounted for the other runs.
As tempted as Pine-Richland (18-5) coach Jeff Rojcik may have been to pull Pampiks, he didn’t. And Pampiks rewarded Rojcik.
After the first, the Indians struggled against Pampiks, who nibbled on the corners throughout the game. Peters Township threatened, stranding a runner at third with two outs in the third and leaving two on in the sixth.
Conley, a surprise starter since Maize usually goes with Anthony Rossi in big games, allowed Walker’s home run in the first. In the second inning, the rest of the lineup got to him.
And the Rams got a little help from the Indians, too.
“I was a little worried about our defense,” Maize said. “But Jason is so cool. He’s been in two or three pressure situations for us and that’s one of the reasons why we went with him.”
Josh Spicer led off the second with a double off the left field wall. An out later, Bill Musher was hit by a pitch. Spicer moved to third and Musher to second on the first of two Conley balks during the inning. An error by shortstop Aaron Janusey on a John Karr grounder led to two Pine-Richland runs. Colin Durburow’s line-drive single drove in the go-ahead run.
After that, it was all about Pampiks and Conley until Gallagher took control.
“I felt some pressure. I was mad at myself,” said Conley, who pitched a complete game. “I wasn’t completely frustrated but I was close. I just relaxed and told myself to keep the ball low.”