YC Panthers head to regionals

Midway through the college baseball season the York College Panthers had yet to hit on all cylinders as a team. Their record was a mediocre 15-15 and they had just suffered a pair of tough losses to Bellevue University at home. Who knew that only two games later the Panthers would start a 13 game win streak, win 17 of their last 21 games and end up in the conference tournament. And now the pot has been sweetened even more. Thanks to a come from behind win over College of the Ozarks on Thursday, York has secured a spot in the Region IV tournament for the second year in a row and only the second time in school history.
Just as head coach Nick Harlan had suggested before the tournament ever started, it all came down to pitching. After losing game one 11-1 to Bellevue and winning their second against Ozarks, York was again matched up with the host team, No. 1 Bellevue, and it turned out just about the same way it did the first time. The Bruins beat the Panthers 13-0 in a weather shortened game.
“We just couldn’t hit our spots,” Harlan said about his pitchers. “Joe [Ramirez] was having a tough time locating his breaking pitches so the batters knew to wait for a fastball once Joe got behind in the count.”
The Bruins took advantage of every opportunity while at the plate. Three Panther pitchers combined for six wild pitches and nine walks and three hit batters. With that many free bases they had no trouble putting runs on the board. Bellevue only had to use one pitcher and he was bear perfect. Cameron Young, 7-2 on the season, struck out eight, walked zero and allowed only seven hits in his complete game.
In two games the Bruins outscored York 24-1, that in only 14 innings of play. After it was all over four Panthers were named to the All-MCAC first team. Kellen Love was named the third baseman, shortstop was Dylan Connolly, John Richards in the outfield and Nick Jones as starting pitcher. Six other Panthers, Robert Enriquez, Curtis Eubanks, Joel Fleck, Langston Frison, Adam Janky and Joe Ramirez all earned honorable mentions.
York is now on their way to the Region IV Tournament in Hutchison, Kan. May 6-10. The York squad hopes to move through the tournament successfully to earn entrance into the school’s first ever Super Regional Tournament May 15-17.