Kyle Fackler mentioned some “unfinished business,” meaning the CD East talent and his Harrisburg Senior RBI teammates would accept nothing less than a return visit to Minnesota for the World Series.
Well, Harrisburg took two a couple of giant steps in that direction Saturday, landing two more victories as host of the Mid-Atlantic Regional.
After side-stepping Pittsburgh in the morning session, Fackler, Harrisburg's dangerous lead-off man, played a vital role in Harrisburg's heated 6-4 victory over Prince George's County.
Fackler went 3-for-3, scored a pair of runs and chased home three more as Harrisburg eventually snapped a 2-all deadlock with a three-run fifth. The shortstop is one of four returning players from last year's World Series qualifier that was eventually ousted by Houston in Minneapolis.
“Last year we got there, but we've got some unfinished business. It would be a great feeling and we're putting in the effort to get back,” said Fackler, who helped turn away PGC and ace righty Brian Keith.
“There's so much heart on this team. But we're not thinking about [Minnesota] yet. We're thinking about tomorrow, pitch by pitch, and getting that win.”
The victory pushed Harrisburg's pool-play mark to 4-0, meaning Rob Martin's crew earned a spot in Sunday's regional final at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
As for Harrisburg's championship opponent, PGC or Pittsburgh will land the bid. Because Friday's scheduled game between Pittsburgh and PGC was postponed due to rain, Sunday's 8 a.m. clash in Harrisburg will produce the second-best record in pool play.
“Clearly the fatigue factor was more on our side today, but we were able to work through it,” said Martin, his club up 2-0 on PGC before the visitors rallied against starting southpaw Noah Spangler.
“This game was a real battle. Prince George's County is a good team, so we're prepared for tomorrow.”
Fackler accounted for Harrisburg's initial run after reaching on a catcher's interference and advancing to second on an errant pick-off attempt. Another error and wild pitch plated Harrisburg's lead-off hitter.
In the third, Susquehanna Twp.'s Reid Demyan, just seconds after preserving Harrisburg's lead with an assist from centerfield, roped a double to right. One batter later, Fackler chased home Demyan with a single up the middle.
PGC would charge three straight singles to Spangler before righty Anthony Atticks was summoned to stop the rally in the fourth. Atticks would induce a fielder's choice for the first out, but a low throw on his pick-off move to first allowed Carl Colbert to post PGC's tying run.
Atticks, however, would surrender just two hits and allow a single earned run down the stretch. A Sadiq Burkholder double, coupled with Fackler's RBI triple, highlighted Harrisburg's fifth, putting Atticks in line for the win.
“We knew we were going to have some tough games today,” Martin said. “We were a little disappointed putting the bat on the ball in the first game, but we got some timely hits.”
Earlier, Harrisburg edged Pittsburgh 2-1 on a pair of fifth-inning runs. Although starting pitcher Dakota Pentz found a groove after allowing three hits and a first-inning run, Harrisburg trailed until a two-out walk to Burkholder ignited the comeback.
After Justin Lambert followed Fackler's single with a RBI single of his own, Fackler eventually plated the game-winner on a wild pitch. Pentz scattered just four hits and fanned five in six frames.
Atticks picked up the save, firing a 1-2-3 seventh.
Standings
Harrisburg 4-0-0
Prince George's County 2-1-0
Pittsburgh 1-1-1
Philadelphia 1-2-1
Baltimore 0-4-0
Sunday, July 21
Pittsburgh vs. PGC, CD East HS, 8 a.m.
Championship
Harrisburg vs. TBA, Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster, 1
JUNIOR BASEBALL
Harrisburg turned a perfect 4-0 mark in pool play after slamming Baltimore 16-1 and rolling past Philadelphia 10-3 in Saturday's six-inning nightcap. Harrisburg and Philly will land at Clipper Magazine Stadium Sunday for a rematch in the Mid-Atlantic Regional final at 10 a.m.
Pitcher John Brubaker and Harrisburg only needed three innings to bypass Baltimore as Steve McInturff (2-for-2), Dylan Spiegal (1-for-1) and Brubaker (2-for-2) accounted for eight runs. Brubaker also knocked in four runs and collected four strikeouts in limited work.
Harrisburg eventually handed off to Central Dauphin product Joey Mione against Philly. And Mione was flat-out sizzling over five innings, striking out 13 against five hits allowed.
Helping the cause was Spiegal (2-for-3), who scored a pair of runs, and the 1-2 combination of McInturff and Hunter Breon. The top two in Harrisburg's order combined for six runs.
CD East's Quinton Heckard also chipped in two hits.
Standings
Harrisburg 4-0
Philadelphia 3-1
Pittsburgh 2-2
Prince George's County 2-2
Baltimore 0-4
Sunday, July 21
Championship
Harrisburg vs. Philadelphia, Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster, 10 a.m.
Epler on Twitter: @threejacker