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Deer Lakes clinches playoff berth with win over Highlands

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, May 4, 2018 | 10:27 PM

It's been a busy week for Deer Lakes baseball with five games in five days.

But the result was a berth in the WPIAL playoffs.

The Lancers clinched their ninth WPIAL playoff trip in the last 10 seasons with a 12-2 victory over Highlands on Friday afternoon.

Winning pitcher Tyler Smith helped himself with a pair of three-run homers, the latter ending the game with one out in the fifth inning, because of the 10-run mercy rule.

“The wind was helping me out, but I still hit them squarely,” Smith said. “That was nice.”

“Everybody was asking me in the beginning of the week how you can play five,” Deer Lakes coach Josh Tysk said. “We had some guys step up this week and eat some innings. We came up a little short Wednesday against Knoch, but Thursday and today was a nice way to end the week.”

Deer Lakes (10-7, 7-6) can catch its breath after going 3-2 on the week. The Lancers will be in the baseball postseason for the 18th time in school history.

The Lancers wasted no time jumping on Highlands pitcher Zac Kuniak in the first inning. After an error and a walk, Smith smacked a drive that caught a burst of wind and took it over the left-field fence into the Paskorz Farm.

Deer Lakes erupted for five runs in the fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate.

A two-run single by catcher Ben Bokulich capped the big inning.

“Ben's had a rough week behind the plate,” Tysk said. “He's taken a few off the mask, the shins, the hand. But he did really well behind the dish and putting the ball in play, and that's a plus.”

Highlands (3-12, 3-10) finally got on the scoreboard with two runs in the fourth.

Kuniak singled, and Noah Gillette doubled. Both runners came home on singles by Nick Cichello and Matt Cekada to make it 8-2.

“We're making some progress,” Highlands coach Jeff Campbell said as he nears the conclusion of his first season. “We'll come out and play well for a game, next game we'll slack off a little bit. It hurt us a little bit not having the preseason nonconference games, but it's coming.”

Deer Lakes answered with a run on the bottom of the fourth, when Greg Geis drove home Smith.

Smith then struck out the side in the fifth, setting the stage for his second home run that brought home Bokulich and Jake McCaskey ahead of him.

“My curveball was working in the last inning,” Smith said. “We played well this week as a team. We have the arms to do it. We could have stole a couple and gone 5 for 5 this week, but a couple of bounces went the other team's way.”

McCaskey scored three runs for the Lancers and Cory Newman contributed two singles.

“We love playing every day. We can do this forever,” Tysk said.

The two schools square off at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Highlands in the section finale.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

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