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A perfect spring Tuesday night saw Potomac Falls hit the road for a Potomac District matchup against first-place Stone Bridge. A tight pitcher’s duel emerged between Potomac Falls sophomore Nate Savino (Virginia) and Stone Bridge senior Matt House (Shenandoah) with Potomac Falls having a big seventh inning to pull out a 6-2 win.

House worked a quick first two innings, allowing only a walk while picking up three strikeouts. Savino, on the other hand, had to work out of trouble in each of the first two innings. In the first, a pair of one-out singles put runners on the corners, but then Savino picked a runner off of first, and in the ensuing rundown Potomac Falls turned a double play to end the inning. In the second, Stone Bridge put two runners into scoring position with no outs, but Savino was able to get two strikeouts and a comebacker to again get out of trouble with no damage.

Potomac Falls had their first threat in the third as Thomas Dinneny (Susquehanna) led the inning off with double to deep left. Trevor Hanzel beat out a well-placed sacrifice bunt to put runners on the corners with no outs. A chopper right to third went for the first out and moved Hanzel into scoring position and then a walk loaded the bases before House was able to get a strikeout and a lineout to end the inning with no damage. Savino struck out the side in the bottom of the third and the game headed to the fourth in a scoreless tie.

Andrew Gerhart led the fourth off with a single to right and advanced to second on comebacker. After that, a controversial call on a misplayed fly ball in right field put runners on second and third with one out, and Dinneny delivered the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center, giving Potomac Falls a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, House led the inning off with a triple to left center, and he scored two pitches later on a passed ball to tie the game. Savino got out of the inning without any further damage and the game was tied at one heading to the fifth.

The fifth went quickly and Savino led off the sixth inning flaring a double into shallow leftfield. After house got a fly out, Savino’s courtesy runner came around to score on a Jesse Paugh RBI single, giving Potomac Falls a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, Stone Bridge pinch hitter Derek Planty led the inning off with a single to left. Hentz followed that up hitting into a fielder’s choice and then stealing second to put himself into scoring position. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored the tying run on another pitch that got away at home plate. House would work a walk and steal second to put himself into scoring position, but Savino stranded him there and the game was again tied, this time at two, as it headed to the seventh.

In the top of the seventh, House was replaced by junior Mitchell Colombo and he opened the inning by walking Hanzel and giving up a single to right to Jack Campbell. After a sacrifice moved the runners into scoring position, senior outfielder Max McAdams delivered a two-run single to left to give Potomac Falls the lead. Savino added an insurance run with a triple to right and the Panthers added a fourth run on a Gerhart RBI single. With the lead 6-2, Savino worked a perfect seventh, ending the game on a strikeout to seal the win.

For Stone Bridge, House had a no decision and went 6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 K while also going 2-2 at the plate with a BB and a 3B. Paul Moore was 1-2 with a BB. Hentz was 1-3 with a SB and a run.

For Potomac Falls, Savino got the win with a complete game, going 7 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 3 BB, and 12 K while also going 2-3 at the plate with a BB, 2B, 3B, and an RBI. Gerhart was 2-4 with an RBI. Dinneny was 1-3 with a 2B and an RBI. Hanzel was 1-2 with a BB.

 

Scouting Notes

Potomac Falls

-Savino was 87-91 in the game, touching as high as 93. Change-up was 75-83. Slider was 75-78.

-2019 Gerhart was 2.09-2.12 between innings with throw velocity of 71. 

-2020 Campbell showed good actions at short and will be an interesting player to follow.

 

Stone Bridge

-House was 82-84, touching 85. Change-up was 74-77. Curveball was 70-72. Feel of all three was good.

-2019 Moore showed good approach in first at-bat, lining an outside fastball to left for a base hit.

-2019 Colombo was 79-81. Slider was 68-71.

 

For full scouting notes and videos, watch for the VA/DC Scout Blog post for this game early next week.

 

 

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