Late Rally Sends Gilman Nine to President’s Cup Final

The Gilman baseball team scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, then survived a scare in the top of the seventh to eke out a 5-4 win over visiting Friends on Saturday. The win advances the Greyhounds to the finals of the President’s Cup at Camden Yards on Sunday, where they will play Mt. St. Joe.

The semifinal contest in the newly revived Cup series resumed play in the top of the third inning with Friends leading 1-0, after action that began on April 15 was suspended due to rain.

After Friends scored a run in the third and two more in fourth—and Gilman responded with single runs in the third and fifth innings—the Quakers entered the pivotal bottom of the sixth with a 4-2 lead.

Gilman loaded the bases with no outs in that home half of the sixth when Thomas O’Neill collected a sharp base hit between short and third, Ryan Ripken had a ground ball single between first and second, and Quinn Cotter walked on four pitches.

After a mound conference, Quaker right-hander Arnie Capute caught Greyhound Matt Collins looking at a 1-2 pitch, then right-hand swinging John Durham failed to check his swing on an 0-2 pitch.

Luca Simmons coaxed a walk from Capute after falling behind in the count 1-2, pushing O’Neill over the plate for the third Gilman run.

With the bases still loaded and two outs, Malcolm Powers grounded an 0-1 pitch just to the first base side of second, where Quaker second baseman Peter Vaselkiv dove to stop the ball, but threw wide and too late to first. Ripken scored the tie run and Cotter the go-ahead tally on the play to give the Greyhounds a 5-4 lead.

Gilman left-handed pitcher Gavin Sheets, who collected an RBI single in the fifth and struck out the side in the top of the sixth, stayed on the mound for the Greyhounds in the seventh inning.

After a team huddle, Friends opened the final half inning with Eric Will reaching first on an error to Gilman third baseman Collins. Will advanced to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a successful Capute sacrifice bunt.

With one out and the tie run on third, the Quakers’ Jon Loewenberg lifted a high pop that found a hole in short right center for a base hit, yet Collins, who was late leaving third, was thrown out at the plate. A fly ball to right field ended the inning and the game.

Even though Collins got a late break, Friends coach Tom Randall didn’t question the decision to send him.

“They had to make a perfect throw and they made the perfect throw,” he said.

For Gilman coach Larry Sheets, a win is a win.

“We were able to hold it off on that quirky play at the end of the seventh inning,” he said.

Yet Sheets said it may be tough for the Greyhounds in the President’s Cup championship game on Sunday.

“Tomorrow is our sixth game in seven days—we’ve got a game on Monday, a game Wednesday. It’s going to be tough,” Sheets said. “But we’ll go down and we’ll do the best we can.”

Reflecting on the Greyhound season, Sheets said it has been a tough one.

“I said all along that we weren’t the number-one team—we had some holes,” Sheets said. “Last year we got a lot of breaks and baseball’s a game of getting breaks, and this has not been a strong year for breaks for Gilman. But we’re fighting to try to get that sixth spot in the playoffs, and then it starts zero-zero.”

Friends coach said he has a lot of respect for the Gilman team.

“They’ve had a tough season and they’re trying to work through it just like we are,” Randall said. “I give them a lot of credit for their comeback.”

Yet he was proud of his team’s effort, especially Capute’s.

“I can’t say enough about my pitcher. Arnie is phenomenal—Arnie can play on any A conference team,” Randall said. “He’s dedicated himself to the sport and he wants to go to college and play.”

The coach noted it has been an up and down season for the Quakers.

“Today, my whole infield was freshman, sophomore, freshman, sophomore. They’re getting some great experience.”