Kentucky recruit holds South Side to 1 run in PIAA finals loss
By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 15, 2018 | 4:54 PM
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
South Side pitcher Casey Jones hugs head coach Chip Hunter on the mound next to Luke Woodard during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game against Lancaster Catholic Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Lancaster Catholic's Danny Gonzalez scores between South Side catcher Nate Statler and pitcher Casey Jones during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Lancaster Catholic's Rigo Hernandez slides safely into third base under the tag of South Side's Marshal Windsor during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Lancaster Catholic's Devon Atkinson scores on a wild pitch past South Side pitcher Casey Jones during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
South Side center fielder Ethan Woodling makes a catch at the outfield wall during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game against Lancaster Catholic Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
South Side's Jake McDougal makes a diving catch of a line drive during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game against Lancaster Catholic Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Lancaster Catholic's Alex Kukic tags out South Side's Marshal Windsor at second base during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
South Side pitcher Casey Jones hugs head coach Chip Hunter on the mound next to Luke Woodard during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game against Lancaster Catholic Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Lancaster Catholic's Danny Gonzalez scores between South Side catcher Nate Statler and pitcher Casey Jones during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Lancaster Catholic's Rigo Hernandez slides safely into third base under the tag of South Side's Marshal Windsor during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Lancaster Catholic's Devon Atkinson scores on a wild pitch past South Side pitcher Casey Jones during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
South Side center fielder Ethan Woodling makes a catch at the outfield wall during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game against Lancaster Catholic Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
South Side's Jake McDougal makes a diving catch of a line drive during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game against Lancaster Catholic Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Lancaster Catholic's Alex Kukic tags out South Side's Marshal Windsor at second base during the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Friday, June 15, 2018, at Penn State University.
UNIVERSITY PARK — Lancaster Catholic lefty Dillon Marsh lived up to his hard-to-hit reputation.
The hard-throwing Kentucky recruit pitched a five-hitter with 11 strikeouts to defeat South Side Beaver, 5-1, in the PIAA Class 3A final at Penn State's Medlar Field. Marsh took the mound with a 1-0 lead and held South Side scoreless until the seventh.
“We knew ahead of time that we had to hold them down,” South Side coach Chip Hunter said. “For them to jump out 1-0 with (Marsh), that's a big lead. One run for them with him on the mound almost feels like five or six to another team. We put ourselves in a little bit of a hole and he kept us there.”
Marsh did not walk a batter.
South Side (17-6) was making its first appearance in the state finals.
The Rams were unlikely state finalists just a few weeks ago. They finished third in theirsection and lost in the WPIAL semifinals. But they won a third-place consolation game and just kept winning.
“You really can't put into words how special this season is for our players, for the coaching staff, the community, everybody,” Hunter said. “This was truly a special moment. To get this far, nobody really believed we could be here except for the kids and our coaching staff.”
Lancaster Catholic (20-5) added two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth. South Side starter Casey Jones allowed five runs on eight hits in six innings.
Marshall Windsor drove in South Side's lone run after Bishop McCoy hit a leadoff double in the seventh.
