FINAL: Utica 6, Whitestown 3

I'm here at DeLutis Field for tonight's losers' bracket game between Whitestown and Utica. The winner advances to face Sherrill tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in the losers' bracket semifinal. The loser's season comes to an end.

Follow along here as I'll provide play-by-play coverage of the the game. Feel free to chime in with any thoughts about the game, the county playoffs or anything else you want to talk about.

Starting lineups:
(3) Whitestown (14-6)
1. Connor Flisnik, 2B
2. Paris Rich, LF
3.George Hajjar, RF
4. Alex Ferenti, SS
5. Tyler Beck, 1B
6. Mike Nassar, CF
7. Jim Engler, DH
8. Matt Wilk, 3B
9. Chris Vomer, C
Pitcher: Mike Fasolo, RHP

(4) Utica (12-7)
1. Devin Warmack, CF
2. Mike Scotellaro, 1B
3. Mark VanDreason, 2B
4. Ryan Donovan, 3B
5. Joe Perrotta, P
6. Mike King, LF
7. Mike Obernesser, C
8. Joe Mazzara, RF
9. Justin Hall, SS
Pitcher: Joe Perrotta, RHP

*They're about ready to get underway here. A decent number of fans have made the drive out to DeLutis for tonight's game. It seems that they're slowly finding their way in on this night that feels more like a late September evening than July. There are a lot of sweatshirts and jackets on tonight.

Top 1st: Warmack grounded out to short for the first out. Mike Scotellaro walked on a wild-pitch ball four from Fasolo and hustled down the line and all way to second as Whitestown catcher Chris Vomer had trouble tracking the ball down. VanDreason reached first and Scotellaro went to third on an error (booted grounder) by the shortstop. Donovan grounded into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play, stranding Scotellaro at third.

Bottom 1st: Flisnik worked an eight-pitch walk to lead off and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rich. Flisnik went to third on a wild pitch from Perrotta and then scored on a 4-3 groundout by Hajjar for the second out. Whitestown 1, Utica 0. Ferenti hit a two-out line-drive single to right. Beck struck out swinging to end the inning.

Whitestown 1, Utica 0

Top 2nd: Perrotta flew out to left for the first out. King drew a walk. Obernesser struck out swinging for thre second out, but King advanced to second as the ball got away from the catcher. Mazzara struck out swinging for the third out, stranding King at second.

Bottom 2nd: Nassar grounded out to the shortstop as Scotellaro made a nice stretch on a high throw to first for the first out. Engler drew a five-pitch walk and went to second a Wilk 4-3 groundout. Engler advanced to third on a passed ball. Vomer struck out swinging at a 1-2 curveball to end the inning, stranding Engler just 90 feet from home.

Whitestown 1, Utica 0

Top 3rd: Hall grounded out 4-3 for the first out. Warmack ripped a single up the middle and then stole second. Scotellaro popped out on a great grab by the shortstop on a shallow blopper to left. VanDreason stroked an RBI double down the right field line to even the score. Utica 1, Whitestown 1. VanDreason went to third on a passed ball that hit the front of the plate and popped over the head of the catcher. Donovan walked to put runners on the corners with two down. Perrotta grounded out to second for the third out.

Bottom 3rd: Flisnik reached on his second walk of the night. Rich put runners on first and second with a well-placed bunt single toward third. Hajjar put runners on the corners with a fly out to center field that Flisnik tagged on. Rich stole second (runners on second and third, one out). Ferenti struck out swinging for the second out. Beck struck out looking to end the inning, stranding runners on second and third.

Utica 1, Whitestown 1

Top 4th: King singled to lead off. Obernesser struck out for the first out. Mazzara ripped an RBI double to the gap in right-center, scoring King from first. Utica 2, Whitestown 1. Mazzara went to third on the throw to home. Hall hit a sac fly to right for the second out, scoring Mazzara. Utica 3, Whitestown 1. Warmack struck out swinging to end the inning.

Bottom 4th: Nassar grounded out 1-3 on the first pitch he saw. Engler and Wilk hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Vomer struck out swinging for the second out. Engler came all the way from second and Wilk went to third on a wild pickoff throw to first by Perrotta. Utica 3, Whitestown 2. Flisnik struck out swinging to end the inning, stranding a runner at third.

Utica 3, Whitestown 2

Top 5th: Scotellaro led off with a single down the first-base line, but was gunned down Hajjar trying to stretch it to two. VanDreason struck out swinging for the second out. Donovan popped out to right for the third out.

*Utica's Nick Mishlanie has entered the game in place of starting catch Mike Obernesser.

Bottom 5th: Rich reached on an error by Scotellaro at first on a hard hit grounder. He went all the way from first to third on a wild pitch that bounced oddly off the backstop. Hajjar walked to put runners on the corners with no outs. Hajjar stole second on the first pitch to Ferenti to put runners on second and third. Ferenti struck out swinging for the first out. Beck grounded out 6-3, but Rich scored from third to tie the game. Whitestown 3, Utica 3. On the same play, Hajjar was caught sleeping off of third and was throw out by Scotellaro to end the inning.

Whitestown 3, Utica 3

Top 6th: Perrotta struck out swinging for the first out. King reached on a chopped infield single over the pitcher's mound. Mishlanie grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice for the second out. Mishlanie stole second on the first pitch to Mazzara. Mazzara struck out swinging for the third out, stranding Mishlanie at second.

Bottom 6th: Nassar led off with a line-drive single to left. Engler gave himself up, bunting Nassar to second on a sacrifice for the first out. Wilk grounded out to Scotellaro at first for the second out. Nassar went to third on the play. Vomer flew out to center to end the inning on the first pitch he saw, stranding the go-ahead run just 90 feet away.

Whitestown 3, Utica 3

*M.J. Hajec came on to pitch for Whitestown in relief of Fasolo.

Top 7th: Hall reached on what could be a huge error by the center fielder. Hall hit a routine fly ball to center, but it was misjudged by Nassar and tipped off his glove and got past him. Hall got all the way to second. Warmack laid down a perfect bunt single toward third to reach base and put runners on the corners for Utica with no outs. Warmack stole second to put runners on second and third. Scotellaro flew out on a shallow pop up to center that Nassar made a nice running catch on for the first out. Hall scored on a passed ball that squeaked threw the legs of the catcher. Utica 4, Whitestown 3. VanDreason and Donovan drew back-t0-back walks to load the bases. Perrotta struck out looking for the second out. King poked a two-out two-RBI single to left. Utica 6, Whitestown 3. King went to second and Donovan to third on the throw home, that was just late, from Rich. Mishlanie flew out to right for the third out, stranding runners on second and third.

Bottom 7th: Flisnik singled to right to lead off. Rich grounded into a 1-6 fielder's choice for the first out. Hajjar then grounded into another fielder's choice for the second out. After a Ferenti walk put runners on first and second, Beck flew out to right to end the game, and Whitestown's season.

FINAL: Utica 6, Whitestown 3