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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

Baseball set for playoffs

Whitehall scored in every inning on the way to an 11-1, five-inning win on its Senior Day over East Stroudsburg North in Eastern Pennsylvania Conference baseball on Saturday.

Prior to the game, the Zephyrs honored their ten seniors: Jack Lloyd, Sudge Hoderewski, Tyler Sanders, Tanner Sweeney, Donato Brigidi, Dylan Grohotolsky, Jules Alatzas, Josh Hartner, Keagan Garrah and Chase Miller.

“I was able to start all seniors today,” said Eric Schmitt, Whitehall manager. “A lot of these guys have been starters for three years. This is my fifth year, so these guys were seventh graders. I have had them for the life of their baseball career, so it’s really great to see them all out there.”

Using that all-senior lineup, Whitehall jumped on top with two runs in the top of the first. Sanders led off with a double and, following a Brigidi walk, scored on a Hoderewski sacrifice fly. Brigidi then scored on a groundout by Miller.

The Zephyrs added four more runs in the second inning. Alatzas singled, stole second and then scored on a Sweeney single. After a bunt single from Hartner, Garrah reached on a fielder’s choice, which scored Sweeney.

“I have an extremely fast team, very skilled, and we have been working on bunts a lot this week and last,” Schmitt said. “It’s something I wanted to do a little bit today and I was glad we were effective.”

Whitehall loaded the bases with a Sanders walk and Brigidi infield single. When Hoderewski got hit by a pitch, it scored Garrah. Miller then reached on a fielder’s choice, when a fly ball dropped in left field, which scored Sanders, though the Timberwolves were able to get the force play at third.

In the third inning, Sweeney got the Zephyrs started with another bunt single and Hartner reached on an error. Garrah brought them both home with a deep double to the fence in left-center field to extend Whitehall’s lead to 8-0.

“I thought it was gone,” Garrah said. “It felt really good off the bat. I hit it hard, barreled it up. It’s nice.”

While the Whitehall offense hummed, Grohotolsky shut the Timberwolves down from the mound. He allowed just one hit and one walk in the first four innings. For the game, Grohotolsky allowed one run and struck out nine.

“Dylan is always super prepared,” Schmitt said. “He has a great breaking ball and throws a ton of strikes, so I was confident in him today.”

The Zephyrs made it 9-0 in the fourth inning when Hoderewski tripled and scored on a Miller sacrifice fly.

After East Stroudsburg North scored its only run in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from Owen Peckally, Whitehall scored two in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.

Hartner and Garrah both reached to start the inning. Sanders doubled to score Hartner. Then, Brigidi hit a fly ball to center, which scored Garrah to make the lead ten, ending the game.

With the win, Whitehall maintains its position within the conference as the regular season wraps up.

“I feel really good, but the EPC is unbelievably tough,” Schmitt said. “The seeding is still completely up in the air. Any one of the other seven teams could be an opponent and they are all tough.”

All of the support on Senior Day was appreciated, Garrah said.

“It felt amazing,” he said of winning on Senior Day with his teammates. “We all just were happy, laughing and having fun. It is just what baseball is.”

The team is ready to go in the postseason, Garrah said.