MAC Tournament semifinals.

In a game that was exciting from start to finish, Potomac moved a runner to third in the top of the first with one out, but starter Owen Liu-Bailey worked out of the inning with a strikeout, a walk, and a fly out to his brother Zack in right field. That chain of events -- Sidwell getting into trouble on defense and then working its way out with strikeouts and good defense -- was a theme throughout the the game.

On offense Tommy Levy led the game off for the Quakers with a home run, his fourth lead-off home run of the year and his eighth in total, which broke the single-season record for the Quakers.

First at-bat notwithstanding, the offense wasn't as prolific as it usually is for Sidwell, and thus the pressure was on reliever Cody Encarnacion, who entered the game with runners on first and second, no outs, and a 3-2 count, after Liu-Bailey exited due to arm trouble. Encarnacion struck the batter out on his first pitch and then hit the next batter after going up 0-2. The hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out. But, during the next at-bat a runner was caught trying to advance to home on a wild pitch -- and then the batter grounded out to Levy to end the inning. Levy made an outstanding play to snag a bad hop, save a run, and end a high-pressure inning without damage.

Encarnacion finished the game by throwing most of the fourth and all of innings five through seven. He maintained an awesome mound presence equal to that of each of his previous outings against Potomac, which were outstanding.

Potomac finally did damage with runners on base in the sixth and tied the game at 2-2. The Quakers came up empty in the bottom half of the inning, and Encarnacion held the heart of the Panther lineup scoreless in the top of the 7th.

In the eighth Amir Smith popped out to start the inning, which brought up the top of the order with one out. Levy singled, and Piho singled. After Potomac intentionally walked Porter Speece, the bases were loaded for Liu-Bailey, who had remained in the game as a DH after he exited as pitcher. And...on the first pitch of his at-bat, he singled up the middle and walked the Quakers off the field and into the finals against Flint Hill on Saturday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPh1Eaz_LT4