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Site updated 07/20/10 09:23 AM Upper Dauphin Sentinel ©2006 Local News
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HERSHEY • So much for earning home field advantage. Upper Dauphin had to travel to Hershey July 13 to earn its first Dauphin County championship since 1999, a 3-2 win over Hummelstown. The win also allowed UD to advance to the Region IV tournament for the first time since 2001 when the team was Dau-phin County runner-up (see separate article on Page A1). There was a good reason for the location switch. With the game having already been postponed July 12 because of rain (that’s right, it rained) and even more rain in the forecast, Dauphin County had a deadline established by the Region IV tournament of July 14 to decide a champion. Hershey’s field is equipped with lights. With rain in the forecast for both July 13 and 14, it was decided the game would be moved to Hershey. If there was a rain delay or if Hummelstown won – a second game would have to be played because of the double elimination format – the lights would allow the games to be played to conclusion before the deadline. There was no rain delay and Hummelstown did not force another game. Ben Ancheff made sure of that with a stellar pitching performance, tossing a seven-inning complete game with just two days rest after throwing six-plus innings in a win over Linglestown July 10. Ancheff allowed six hits, two walks and struck out seven to earn the win. “The rain may have helped us out,” UD Head Coach Scott Deitrich said. “It gave Ben another day to rest.” Hummelstown’s pitching duo of Demetri Christofes and Tyler Stauffer limited UD to just three hits, but they were placed in opportune situations. Hummelstown could not take advantage of its own scoring opportunities. In the second inning, Hummelstown had runners at second and third with one out and Ancheff struck out the next two batters. With two outs in the sixth inning, Hummelstown put a runner on base with a walk. The next batter singled to right field, but the runner at second rounded the bag too far and Ryan Welker fired behind the runner for the final out of the frame. In fact, Upper Dauphin didn’t need a hit in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead. Ancheff walked to lead off the frame. Tyler Koppenhaver reached on an error. Ryan Welker grounded into a fielder’s choice to move Ancheff to third. Cody Kreiser followed with a grounder to third and Ancheff was caught in a run down between third and home. Before Ancheff was tagged out, Welker raced around to third. Welker then scored on a passed ball. Hummelstown knotted the game, 1-1, in the top of the third inning on a Brad Sheaffer RBI single. He then stole second, but was doubled off on a sharp line drive to Ian Buffington at second. Upper Dauphin regained the lead in the bottom of the inning with more conventional means. Brent Wolfe belted a deep drive to the base of the centerfield fence for a double and then scored on a one-out double by Zach Markel. Back came Hummelstown in the top of the fourth to tie the game, 2-2. Some good defense limited the damage. Ross Baker reached on a one-out double and scored on a single by Zach Soles. After the ball skipped past the right fielder, centerfielder Ty Raubenstine backed up the play and threw out Soles who tried to stretch the hit to a double. The winning run was scored in the bottom of the fourth inning. Welker worked a walk and scored on Ethan Calnon’s double. After two walks loaded the bases, Hummelstown changed pitchers to Stauffer who then retired all eight batters he faced. Ancheff retired the side in order in the seventh to slam the door on Hummelstown and UD is off to the Region IV tournament. “I’m so happy for these guys. This is what I wanted for them all year. They have been a great group,’’ Deitrich said. ‘‘Looking back through the season, it just seems like we have gotten contributions up and down the lineup. Every night it was someone different.’’
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