After sweeping through quarterfinal and semifinal match-ups on Wednesday, Harrisburg's Senior RBI baseball program will play for a World Series title today at palatial Target Field, home to the big-league Minnesota Twins.
Harrisburg opened elimination Wednesday with a 5-0 victory over Santiago, DR, riding a complete-game effort by Cumberland Valley alum Kyle McClintock.
The southpaw surrendered five hits, struck out five, and got a huge lift from former teammate Matt Davis (2-for-3) and Lower Dauphin catcher Deon Stafford (two RBIs).
In the semifinal nightcap against Venice, Calif., Harrisburg banged nine hits, including two each by Stafford, Davis and Susquehanna Twp.'s Anthony Atticks, to claim a 7-1 decision at Parade Stadium.
Mercersburg Academy's Trustin Riley erased Harrisburg's 1-0 deficit with a RBI triple that scored Atticks in the fourth.
A few minutes later, Riley raced home on a wild pitch to give Harrisburg the lead for good. Justin Lambert of Hughesville added a RBI single, and Davis cracked a two-run double in Harrisburg's three-run sixth.
Hurler Sadiq Burkholder, also of Hughesville, did his part with seven strong innings of three-hit baseball. Burkholder, who walked two, struck out 10 in the complete-game gem. Harrisburg will play Tampa RBI in tonight's finale at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on MLBNetwork and MLB.com on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 11:30 a.m.
JUNIOR RBI
The exciting ride for Harrisburg's Junior RBI set ended Wednesday evening as Venice, Calif., collected a tight 3-2 victory. A Morgan Lomax fifth-inning double put the Venice Boys & Girls Club ahead, but Harrisburg kept clawing until the final out.
Trailing 3-1 in the seventh, Dylan Spiegel belted a RBI double, scoring Susquehanna Twp. catcher Jake Pae, but the Central Dauphin talent was thrown out trying to stretch for a triple.
Boiling Springs' Hunter Breon would later single, and Susquehanna Twp.'s Christian Ciotti would reach on a fielder's choice, but Venice closer Jay Sterner would eventually stop the threat. Aaron Greenfield went 2-for-3 for Venice, which later slammed Pawtucket 10-0 to qualify to today's World Series finale at 2 p.m. Spiegel and Breon secured four of Harrisburg's seven hits.
Epler on Twitter: @threejacker