Walk-off home run gives Ardrey Kell big baseball win over rival South Meck Friday
Ardrey Kell’s Jeremy Self was looking for a curve ball and when he saw it, he delivered a walk-off home run for the Knights in a 3-2 win over rival South Meck Friday.
Ardrey Kell scored three straight runs after trailing 2-0 and avenged a loss to South Mecklenburg just three days prior.
“Before my at-bat coach (Sean Thomas) called me over to the third base side and told me to get on the knob, and take big hacks with two outs,” Self said. “With two strikes I was looking for a curve ball and it went out.”
The battle of the top So Meck 4A baseball teams was a pitchers’ duel, as both Andrew Sentlinger of the Knights and Ed Anglin of the Sabres sparkled, with each going the distance. Sentlinger struck out 13 batters in the seven innings and yielded only four hits while walking just one.
Meanwhile Anglin was equally effective yielding only five hits, striking out five while walking four and holding a potent Knights’ attack to only three runs.
South Meck centerfielder Jack Livoti had a pair of doubles and two of Sabres’ five hits.
“Our guys have been planning all week as South Meck is a great opponent,” said Ardrey Kell coach Sean Thomas. “They were going to spin us a lot, mix pitches, changeups, fast balls and we kind of planned for that this week.
“The approach with him (Self on his seventh-inning at-bat) was see something up in the zone. He took two good swings earlier in the at-bat fouling balls off. It was a great swing, thank God it got out of the park and we were able to come out with a win tonight.”
▪ South Meck struck first in the top of the second inning with a pair of runs and a 2-0 lead. The Sabres’ Chase Peterson was hit by a pitch leading off the inning and advanced to second base on an infield single by Phillip Molesky. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third. After a strikeout, Louis Hill belted a two-out, two-run single through the hole between third base and shortstop.
Ardrey Kell got a run back in their half of the fourth inning. Matthew Suppa lined a one-out double to right field followed by a walk to Sentlinger.
A balk by pitcher Anglin moved the runners to second and third. Jacob Kirby singled scoring Suppa and the Knights had runners at second and third still with one out. On a one-hopper to shortstop by Jack Barker, Sentlinger was thrown out at the plate trying to score from third. Anglin then got a strikeout for the final out to end the inning and the Ardrey Kell threat.
The Knights tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out Tyler Smith singled followed by two walks that loaded the bases. Suppa’s RBI flyout to deep right field plated Smith. But with two runners still on and two outs, Anglin got a groundout to end the inning.
THREE WHO MATTERED
Andrew Sentlinger, Ardrey Kell: Senior pitcher went the distance, striking out 13 batters, giving up only four hits and walking one
Jeremy Self, Ardrey Kell: Senior right fielder hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the seventh inning while going 1-for-1 with a pair of walks
Louis Hill, South Meck: Sophomore first baseman knocked in both of the Sabres’ runs with a two-run single in the top of the second inning.
WORTH MENTIONING
▪ The Knights beat the Sabres 4-2 on the road on Tuesday in the first regular season meeting between the two teams.
▪ Four members from Ardrey Kell have committed to colleges: (Sentlinger - Senior – Virginia Tech), (Matthew Suppa – Senior - Queens), (Jacob Kirby - Junior– UNC-Chapel Hill), (Isaac Pena – Sophomore – Clemson)
THEY SAID IT: “I felt good, it wasn’t my best this season, I’ve had better stuff. With people on base I made pitches and got out of some situations.” – Ardrey Kell ace pitcher Andrew Sentlinger sizing up his performance Friday night.
RECORDS: South Meck (6-7, 2-2), Ardrey Kell (8-3, 4-0)
WHAT’S NEXT: South Meck returns to play Tuesday hosting Olympic with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. Ardrey Kell also returns to the field Tuesday hosting Harding, also starting at 6:30 p.m.
PHOTOS: South Meck at Ardrey Kell baseball
