Big 7th inning lifts Mechanicsburg past Glen Rock in Central League title series opener

A four-run, seventh-inning rally helped the Mechanicsburg Cardinals draw first blood in the best-of-five Central League Playoff Championship Series.

The Cards trailed 6-3 at Glen Rock on Saturday entering the top of the seventh when they made their big rally. Luke Blasick's three-run double tied the score a 6-6, while Jon Mayer's single gave Mechanicsburg a 7-6 lead it would not relinquish. The winners improved to 18-10.

Blasick finished with three hits, including two doubles, with five RBIs and two runs scored. Mayer finished with two hits, including a double. Cole Wagner added two hits, including a double, with two runs scored for the winners.

Maika Nui pitched a hitless, scoreless seventh for the winners, striking out two.

Glen Rock (19-8) was led by Scott Merkel (two hits, double, two RBIs, run) and Dan Rhodes (two hits, two RBIs, run).

Game 2 in the title series is set for 2 p.m. Sunday at Mechanicsburg.

The Cardinals had punched their ticket to the finals with a 4-3 eight-inning triumph at Jefferson on Thursday.

That allowed Mechanicsburg to win the best-of-three semifinal series, 2-1. Jefferson won the series opener, 4-2, before Mechanicsburg rallied with 3-1 and 4-3 victories.

Thursday's game ended in dramatic fashion, when Jefferson had a runner thrown out at the plate for the final out of the game.

Regular-season champion Jefferson dropped to 18-8-1. 

Reach Steve Heiser at sheiser@yorkdispatch.com.