Taylor Magditch pitches Nazareth past Big Pocono in NorCo Legion playoff game

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

As if he needed any more motivation for his Tuesday afternoon Northampton Legion playoff game, Nazareth's starting pitcher Taylor Magditch got it when he watched the television news on Tuesday afternoon.

"I dedicated my game to Caylee Anthony," he said, after striking out 10 batters in a complete-game effort to defeat Big Pocono 8-2 in the first game of a best-of-three opening round playoff series.

His father, former Phillipsburg High School wrestling coach Jason Magditch, recalled, "Taylor was pretty upset when he learned about the verdict (finding Casey Anthony not guilty of murdering her two-year old daughter). I'm glad he was able to channel his anger in a constructive way," he said.

After Nazareth Post 415 built a 6-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, Magditch finished the game with a flourish. He allowed only one base-runner in the last three frames, striking out four of the last 10 batters.

"I had a lead to work with, so I challenged them," said the right-hander. "My fastball was pretty lively and it was no time to be nibbling."

Magditch gave up just four hits and one walk, also inadvertently hitting a batter in the sixth inning. The 10 strikeouts equaled his high school career high.

Second baseman Will Godiska led Nazareth offensively with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI, as Nazareth had 10 base hits, but none for extra bases.

"I just want to turn the lineup over," said Godiska, who batted ninth in a 10-man lineup.

Nazareth drew first blood in the bottom of the first, as Ben Schmitt singled and came around on two-out singles from Karl Keglovits and Kyle Dauscher. However, the visiting Longhorns benefitted from two Nazareth errors in the top of the second and grabbed a 2-1 edge.

"We try not to hang our heads," Godiska said. "We can rebound and score runs. We have a balanced lineup and guys are always picking each other up."

Nazareth took advantage of a walk to shortstop Mike Garzillo and two Big Pocono misplays to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third. Magditch walked to lead off the fourth, stole second and was sacrifice bunted to third by Billy Deutsch, bringing up Godiska.

"With a man at third and one out, you've got to get him in," he said, "I just looked for a pitch I could drive."

He singled to left and later scored on an RBI-hit from Schmitt for a 5-2 lead, which was more than enough for Magditch to protect.

"It's been a hard season," said Nazareth manager Jason Brown, "with 20 games in 21 days. The guys were a little tired, so it probably had something to do with the sluggish start in the field, but these guys can turn it on when the game is on the line. We have guys with tournament experience, who rise to the occasion."

Brown did not name a starting pitcher for tonight's second game of the series at Big Pocono, which starts at 5:30 p.m. Big Pocono draws its players from Pocono Mountain East and West high schools. Having taken the first game, Brown has the option of resting his ace pitcher, Keglovits, for a possible deciding game at home on Thursday.

BIG POCONO (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Riley lf-2b 4-0-0-0, Knecht 1b 4-0-0-0, Argentieri p-ss 3-0-1-0, Sharpe ss-3b 3-0-0-0, Fardella cf 3-1-1-0, Gallagher c 2-1-0-0, Suter rf 2-0-1-0, Bosenberg 2b-3b 2-0-0-1, Upton p 1-0-0-0, Hohenstein 3b-lf 3-0-1-0. Totals 27-2-4-1.

NAZARETH (ab-r-h-rbi) -- Siebler cf 3-1-0-0, Schmitt rf 4-1-2-1, Garzillo ss 2-1-0-1, Keglovits 3b 4-1-2-1, Dauscher dh 4-0-1-2, Smith 1b 3-0-0-0, Magditch p 2-1-1-0, Deutsch lf 2-0-0-0, Godiska 2b 3-2-3-1, Charlie c 1-1-1-0. Totals 28-8-10-6.

Big Pocono 020 000 0--2 4 3
Nazareth 102 302 x--8 10 2

E -- Suter, Riley, Sharoe; Keglovits, Godiska, LOB -- Big Pocono 6, Nazareth 9. SB -- Schmitt, Garzillo, Dauscher, Magditch. SAC -- Bosenberg; Garzillo, Deutsch.
Argentieri, Upton (5) and Gallagher. Magditch and Charlie. W --Magditch. L -- Argentieri. SO-BB -- Argentieri 1-4, Upton 1-1; Magditch 10-1. HP -- Suter (by Magditch).

Records: Nazareth 14-7, Big Pocono 13-9.

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