Caleb Armbruster and Tyler Puffer combined for six hits and six RBIs to back a sparkling bullpen performance that powered Montour to a 9-3 victory over Thomas Jefferson Wednesday in the WPIAL Class 5A third-place consolation game played at Ross Memorial Park.
The victory gives Montour the WPIAL’s No. 3 seed in the PIAA Tournament, which gets underway Monday, June 1.
The Spartans next will take on DuBois, which defeated Meadville, 9-2, Monday in the District 8/9/10 subregional. Montour will bring an 18-6 record into Monday’s game, which will be played at DuBois at a time to be determined.
Armbruster went 3 for 3, scored twice and drove in three runs for Montour, which finished second to Thomas Jefferson in Section 4 regular season play.
The Jaguars handed the Spartans back-to-back losses – the final two setbacks in a three-game skid – on April 13 and 15. From that point on, Montour won 11 straight games before falling 13-10 to Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL semifinals on May 21.
Puffer went 3 for 4 with a home run, knocked in three runs and scored a run for Montour, which outhit the Jaguars 10-2.
Matteo Weber also had a big day at the plate, contributing two hits, two runs scored and a pair of RBIs for the Spartans.
Weber also played a key role on the mound for the Spartans. Puffer started the game for Montour but surrendered three first-inning runs that wiped out an early Montour lead.
The Spartans had gone up 1-0 when Puffer doubled with two outs to score Armbruster, who had been hit by a pitch.
Thomas Jefferson responded with three runs in its half of the first, with the first two scoring on Cal Caterno’s base hit. The Jaguars made it 3-1 on a fielder’s choice.
Michael Ivanoff came on to relieve Puffer in the second inning, and that started a string of six scoreless innings during which Thomas Jefferson managed just one hit.
Ivanoff worked three innings and gave up that hit while striking out three. Gavin Foley pitched one scoreless inning, striking out two, and Weber worked the final two hitless innings, striking out two and walking one.
Montour coach Bob Janeda said the Spartans went with an intentional bullpen game because of Monday’s upcoming playoff game.
“Ivanoff, Foley and Weber all threw great,” Janeda said.
After TJ went on top 3-1, Montour tied the score with two runs in the third inning. With two outs and no one on, Armbruster singled and came around on Weber’s triple to cut the lead to 3-2.
Puffer followed with an RBI double to tie the score at 3-3.
The Spartans used some more two-out lightning to move in front in the fourth.
Zachary Ciamacco started the rally when he was hit by a pitch, and a walk to Ivanoff put runners at first and second. Zander Stern drove in the go-ahead run with a base hit and Armbruster singled home a pair of runs to make it 6-3.
Weber followed with a double that drove home Armbruster, giving Montour a 7-3 lead.
The Spartans tacked on another run in the sixth when Ivanoff singled, moved to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on Armbruster’s single.
Puffer’s solo homer in the seventh accounted for Montour’s final run.
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