Seneca Valley defeats Blair 8-6 in the rain

By Kyle Wannen
For DigitalSports.com

In a muddy and rainy game where the weather couldn't seem to make up its mind, Seneca Valley catcher Russell Main knew for sure what he was doing.

Main drove in four runs with a triple and double and then pitched through a jam in the seventh inning to earn the save against Blair in the Eagles' 8-6 victory against Blair on Monday. And even then he was quite satisfied with his team's performance.

"I think we hit okay as a team," Main said. "I think we should have hit a lot better."

Despite suffering from some knee problems during the offseason and a slow start to this season, Main came alive for the Eagles (4-1) as he caught six innings in the mud before closing the game in the seventh. In the first inning he hit a 2-RBI double to give his team an early lead and then hit a triple down the left field line to drive in two more runs during the fourth inning.

"We've had to bring him a long real slowly," Eagles coach Terry Changuris said. "He hadn't done much catching but he's an All-County quality catcher. His bat had not been coming around yet so it was good to see him drive in some runs today."

Blair was able to cut Seneca's lead to one with a four-run sixth inning but after Eagles' leftfielder Nathaniel Pauley scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh the lead was restored to two.

"Blair got up on the [dugout] railing and got into the game strong and we thought we had the game won," Changuris said. "That's something we've got to work on."

Then Main entered and although he gave up a leadoff double and walked the second batter, he was able to retire the next three batters in order for the save.

"I didn't think much of it," Main said about the seventh-inning jam. "I just kind of brushed it off. You have got to keep going."

"He wants to pitch more and I'd love to pitch him more but it's nice to have a closer that can come in," Changuris said. "So we're trying to pitch him an inning every game so he's very comfortable in that role."

Starting pitcher Tyler Klitsch threw five strong innings, giving up two unearned runs on three hit while striking out five despite the rain-soaked field and baseballs.

"I've always pitched in the bad weather games so I was just trying to focus more on throwing strikes today," Klitsch said. "With the bad weather and everything it was a little tough but I overcame it."

"He has composure and commands all three pitches and on a day like today with the rain and mud I think it showed what a quality pitcher he is," Changuris said.