DAYTON - Joe Delaski tossed a three-hitter and Dayton squeaked past the Sparks Railroaders 4-3 Friday at Dust Devil Field. The win gives Dayton a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series in the opening round of the Northern 3A playoffs.
"Joe did a really nice job today," said Dayton coach Craig Miller. "He's kind of been our hard luck pitcher this year, but we scored for him today."
Both pitchers had good efforts, but Delaski got a little more support. Anthony Nichols threw six innings for the Railroaders giving up four runs, two earned, on four hits while striking out three, walking one and hitting one. Delaski went seven innings and gave up three runs, two earned, striking out four, walking one and hitting one.
The Railroaders made two errors that led to three runs, while Dayton made just one error, which also led to a run being scored.
Sparks jumped out to an early two run lead in the second inning. Nichols and Aaron Quilici led off the inning with back-to-back singles before Danny Monroe blasted a double off the base of the fence in left-center field, scoring Nichols from second. Quilici scored on Byron Hunt's line out to left field. Sparks wouldn't get another scoring opportunity until the seventh as Delaski settled down to business.
Delaski and the Dayton defense retired the next 12 batters including a strike-out, throw-out double play to end the fifth inning.
The Dust Devils, meanwhile, were taking advantage of everything Sparks gave them. Brandon Aguilera led off the bottom of the second with single to left, but appeared stranded as the next two batters were retired. Delaski helped his cause with a high chopper up the middle for a base hit that moved Aguilera to third. Delaski took second on a past ball setting the table for brother Jeff whose own high chopper looked like a replay of brother Joe's except that it got through to the outfield, allowing Aguilera to score. When the Sparks center fielder bobbled the ball, Joe scored easily, tying the game at two runs apiece.
Dayton scored the go-ahead runs in the fourth with two outs. After a strike-out and a fly ball out, second baseman Rory Torvik drew a walk. Torvik appeared out at second base when Aguilera's ground ball to short was picked up and tossed underhanded to the second baseman, but the ball was mis-handled and hit the ground, giving Dayton runners at first and second. Center fielder Jason McKinnon stepped into the batter's box to calls for a 'two-out rodeo' from the Dayton bench and he delivered with a ringing double that one-hopped the fence in left-center scoring Torvik and Aguilera for a 4-2 lead.
"That's what we've got to do," Miller said. "Take advantage of those chances. Anytime we get someone on base like that, we can't afford to waste that opportunity. Two of our seniors, Joe and Jason, stepped up today."
Sparks would add a run in the seventh when the lead-off hitter reached base on a two-base throwing error. The runner advanced and scored on consecutive ground ball outs before Delaski ended the inning with a 3-2 fast ball for his fourth strikeout of the game.
After finishing the season with a 12-4 record, the Dust Devils are the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and will host the sixth-seed Railroaders (8-8) for game two in their best-of three series today at 10 a.m. with game three at 1 p.m., if necessary.
Dayton looks to have a good chance to close out the series with Cory Yoder taking the mound for The Dust Devils in game two. Yoder is 7-0 with a 2.99 ERA in 2006. With one more win, Dayton will advance to the NIAA 3A State Tournament.