You’d better have at least a minor in mathematics if you’re planning on figuring out all the potential scenarios for Moore League baseball. The extra homework is courtesy the Millikan Rams, who got their second dramatic extra-innings win at Blair on Friday, a 3-2 win over Wilson in the eighth, with Josh Frye throwing 116 pitches and going the distance.
Frye was extraordinary, throwing with velocity and control. In the eight innings he allowed no earned runs on four hits, with two strikeouts. “It felt great,” he said of the win. “It’s one of the only times this season I’ve pitched with a lead, which got me that much more fired up.”
The Rams scored two runs in the bottom of the third, as Jackson Woodbury scored on a scoring error, then Paul Slater was driven in by Matt Clampitt’s single. Millikan would have taken a larger lead if it weren’t for Sean Buckle, who put in a serious candidate for fielding play of the year with a laser from center field to catcher Blake Cooper, the throw just beating Josh Valdovinos in the bottom of the fourth. Frye moved quickly through the next few innings, but Wilson evened the score in the top of the fifth, when Keith White scored on an error, after Millikan’s right fielder dropped a Daniel DeWolf fly ball, then DeWolf was bunted in by Philip Visico.
In the bottom of the eighth, James Peale scored on Wilson’s second error of the game, when Adam Annella knocked a grounder, where the Wilson shortstop held it too long, giving Peale time to cross home plate, setting off a second Millikan celebration this week.
“This is just too tough a league to make more than one or two mental mistakes and still hope to win,” said Wilson coach Andy Hall. “But hats off to Josh Frye.”
Frye and Millikan coach Scott Glasser both said the defending Moore League pitcher of the year was prepared to keep throwing if they didn’t get the run in the eighth. “He had 9 and a third innings [of eligibility on the 10-innings a week rule] left, and he would’ve used all of it,” said Glasser. “He’s a pretty special player. We’re very fortunate to have him.”
On his performance: Frye told aspiring journalist Jordan Sanders after the game, “I mixed my change-up and fastball a lot, and when the innings came by I had total confidence in my defense to keep us in the game.”
For Wilson, Kyle Ritter pitched five, giving up the two earned runs, and Riley Parker got the loss pitching the final three innings, allowing one hit and the unearned game-winner.
For Millikan, the game continues a turnaround, as they’ve now swept Wilson in rebounding to a 6-1 league run after the 0-2 start. We’ll post a full standings box tomorrow, but here’s a look at how convoluted the outlook is: Poly and Lakewood are tied for first at 7-2, Millikan is now a game back at 6-3, while Wilson is at 5-3. So all four playoff teams are currently within a game and a half of each other headed to the final two weeks of the season. There are two games remaining between the top four, which will ultimately decide how the seeding breaks down.
It’s possible all four teams could tie for the league title at 9-3, if Wilson beats Poly and Poly defeats Lakewood. Does a four-way title sound crazy? The way this season has gone, it almost sounds reasonable. Poly and Lakewood both control their own destiny—if either team wins out, they’ll be named sole champion. Poly will face Wilson at Wilson next Friday at 3pm, and the Lancers will face the Rabbits at Blair on Wednesday, May 12 at 6:30pm, in the final Moore League game of what has already been a memorable season.