Baseball (Credit: Brandon Mowinkel/Unsplash)
White Sox surrender early lead as Dirt Dawgs force decisive Game 5 on Friday
Collegeville’s repeat title hopes in the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League are now on the line after a 6-2 loss to Philadelphia in Game 4 of the semifinal series Thursday night at Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.
Despite taking a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the White Sox allowed four runs in the bottom half of the inning and never recovered, according to gameplay coverage by The Times Herald.
With the best-of-five series now tied 2-2, Friday’s Game 5 will decide who advances to face Lansdale in next week’s championship series.
Philadelphia’s Nathan Kress delivered the go-ahead hit in the first, driving in two runs with a single after a bases-loaded walk had tied the game. Another run crossed on a wild pitch to give the Dirt Dawgs a 4-1 advantage, per the article.
Collegeville answered with a run in the fourth when Collin Jensen doubled and later scored on a Cole Luzins groundout, trimming the deficit to 4-2. But Philadelphia tacked on two insurance runs in the fifth on a two-run single from Jaxon Kehoe.
According to the Times Herald, Collegeville lefty Chase Fisher took the loss, allowing four runs in just two-thirds of an inning. Reliever Benny Wilson tossed 5 1/3 innings, striking out two and walking one while limiting the damage.
The White Sox were held to just four hits, including Jensen’s double, as Dirt Dawgs pitchers Aidan Bretschneider and Chase Fulford combined to hold Collegeville in check.
Philadelphia’s defense helped preserve the win, turning a double play in the third and cutting down a runner at the plate in the fifth.
First pitch for Friday’s decisive Game 5 is set for 5:45 p.m. back at Villanova Ballpark.
