It’s no secret that good pitching combined with solid defense is going to win you baseball games — on any level.
Add in a little luck, and who knows what a team is capable of.
Emmaus got all three of those on Saturday afternoon on a picture-perfect day at Church Lane Park and it resulted in arguably the team’s biggest win to date as the Hornets knocked off perennial District 2 power and PIAA mainstay Hazleton 3-2 in a non-league game.
The victory, the first for Emmaus over the Cougars in four years, was a much needed one for head coach Jeremy Haas’ squad who was looking to avoid an 0-3 week after back-to-back losses to Bethlehem Catholic and rival Parkland.
“They played a complete game today,” said Haas, the Hornets sixth-year manager post-game on the LIVE broadcast on The Eastern Pa. Sports Network. “All three phases – offensively, defensively and on the mound. They did a really good job.
“Credit goes to our pitchers (Drew) McGeehan and (Ryan) Hummell for doing what they did, keeping a good lineup at bay,” he added. “If anything, I told the team after the game that I made it more difficult on them, so they did a really good job in spite of what I was doing.”
McGeehan, a senior, pitched well in his third start of the season giving up just a pair of runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings.
But it was the effort out of the bullpen from Hummell that really stood out. The right-hander allowed just a pair of hits in 4 1/3 scoreless innings of work while picking up his first win of the season, a victory the junior said was important for his team.
“He stressed it a lot,” said Hummell of his coach’s pregame talk. “We all knew what was on the line going in being that we were 6-6 and we really needed wins from here. We know we can do it and today we came together and we won.”
“By far this is one of our biggest wins. Last year I was on JV and sprained my ankle while pitching against them and we wound up losing so today I really wanted to win this game, and we did.”
The victory marked the first time since the 2021 season that Emmaus has defeated Hazleton. The Cougars had been dominant in the previous four meetings outscoring the Hornets 40-6.
The winning run for Emmaus was scored in the bottom of the fifth with the game tied at 2-2.
With two outs and runners on the corners, senior Logan Ravier scored from third base on an errant throw home by Hazleton second baseman Shea Higgins.
Emmaus gambled on the play, and it paid off as sophomore Cole Geiger, pinch running for senior catcher Owen Haas who reached first on an error, took off for second and got caught in a rundown allowing Ravier to score.
“Lucky for us the first and third leave early worked,” said Haas, recalling the play. “I was coaching right behind Logan and he could hear my voice and at some point, I said ‘creep, creep, go’ and luckily for us they made a bad throw.”
“I don’t know how successful we are out of 10 times on that play, but even if it’s one out of 10, I’ll take it.”
Freshman center fielder Tanner Karwacki, batting out of the leadoff spot for the first time this season, was 2-for-3 at the plate while sophomore second baseman Josh Diaz also had a pair of hits for the Hornets.
Hazleton was led on offense by senior first baseman Ray Racho who was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and fellow senior Higgins who also had a pair of hits. The Cougars had their four-game win streak snapped as they dropped to 6-3 on the season. Hazleton’s two other losses came against District One power North Penn (8-7) and District 2 foe and unbeaten Pittston (6-4).
Emmaus begins arguably its biggest week of the season on Monday as they travel to Whitehall to take on the Zephyrs at 4 p.m. in a key EPC game. The Hornets will also be at Limeport Stadium on Wednesday to take on CCHS, followed by home games on Friday vs Allen (7 p.m. at Community Park) and Saturday vs Muhlenberg (Noon at Church Lane Park).
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Emmaus 3, Hazleton 2
Haz – 101 000 0 – 2-6-5
Em – 110 010 x – 3-7-1
Haz – Fred Corrado, Jack Esposito (4) and Nick Ledger; Drew McGeehan, Ryan Hummell (3) and Owen Haas. W – Hummel (1-1), L – Esposito. 2B – Haz: Ledger, Em: Schmidt