RECAP >> Ryan Latchford was dominant on the mound last night in leading Lower Macungie to a 9-0 opening-round playoff win over Allentown at Church Lane Park.
Latchford tossed a complete game striking out 12 and allowing just three hits as head coach Jeff Smith’s team beat Allentown for the third time in four games this season. In the three victories, Lower Mac outscored Allentown 21-1.
With the victory, Lower Mac (11-6) advances to the semifinals tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Orefield Middle School to take on North Parkland, a 3-1 winner over Southern Lehigh. North Parkland won both regular-season games, 9-4 and 9-1. The game will be broadcasted LIVE on www.easternpasportsnetwork.com beginning at 5:20 p.m.
TJ Geist led the offense going 3-for-3 with three RBI, while Joe Cook added a pair of hits and an RBI. Zach McEllroy also drove in two runs.
Allentown (6-10) managed just three hits in the loss. Aaron Schneider, Erick Ariel and Frawelvy Peralta all had one hit.
In other first-round games last night, South Parkland defeated Carbon 9-1 and Salisbury edged Northern Valley 6-5 in 8 innings. South Parkland will host Salisbury in tonight’s other semifinal.
Lower Mac 9, Allentown 0
Atown – 000 000 0 – 0-3-2
LMac – 414 000 x – 9-7-1
Jorge Inoa DeJesus, Yassine Zekkaria (2), Erick Ariel (3), Trevor Golden (4) and Golden; Ryan Latchford and Dayne Schmidt, Michael Kernechel. WP – Latchford (3-1), LP – DeJesus