POTTSVILLE – Tamaqua was inches away from advancing to the District 11 Class 3A title game.

Thad Zuber’s one-out fly ball to left field with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning Thursday night appeared to score Nick Breiner from third base and tie the Blue Raiders’ game against Pine Grove at 1-1.

Only it didn’t.

The Cardinals appealed that Breiner left the base early, and it was upheld, resulting in the final out of the game and a 1-0 victory for Pine Grove.

Reading did not question the call.

“I’m not going to argue that last play of the game,” Tamaqua coach Jeff Reading said. “I saw it. He left early.

“I was hoping they wouldn’t throw over, and I was afraid the umpire would call it out. He made the right call. I can’t argue it.”

But that wasn’t the only play that determined the outcome of the game.

“We had opportunities today, and just didn’t capitalize,” said Reading. “And it’s disappointing, because it was right there.

“But we always preach that you always have to take advantage of what’s given to you at that time. If you don’t, it’s called a missed opportunity. And we had some missed opportunities.”

The seventh-seeded Blue Raiders (10-11) left runners at second and third base in the third inning.

Tamaqua loaded the bases in the sixth, but Cardinals’ starter Jacob Leininger got a strikeout to end the inning. Leininger got the punch out on his 100th – and final – pitch of the game.

Earlier in the inning, Nate Boyle (3-for-4), who led off with an infield single, was thrown out trying to score from third on Isaiah Kupchinsky’s grounder.

Pine Grove, the No. 3 seed, took advantage in the bottom half. Brandon Aungst walked and moved to second on a sacrifice by Garrett Lehman.

After an infield single by Jason Soper, Aungst scored on a bunt by Jake Bohr, avoiding a collision at home plate with Tamaqua catcher Casey Rother to put the Cardinals up 1-0.

Cody Wike came up next and singled, but centerfielder Michael Bonetsky cut down Soper trying to score for the second out to keep it a one-run game. Boyle got Canter Zimmerman to groundout to end the inning.

“Each team had opportunities along the way, with runners in scoring position, but didn’t get the key hits when needed,” said Pine Grove coach Keith Lehman. “Pitchers pitched out of jams, made plays in the field. Can’t say enough of how both teams played the game.”

Blue Raiders’ starter Tate Ligenza worked out of trouble several times early on. The sophomore got back-to-back strikeouts with a runner at second to end the first inning.

Ligenza struck out the side with a runner at second to close out the second. He finished with seven strikeouts.

Zuber made a leaping grab at second base with runners at first and second to end the third inning.

Tamaqua got singles from Boyle and Zuber to open the game, but didn’t pick up another hit until the sixth.

The seventh inning rally started when Breiner led off with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. Cody Hamm walked and Boyle reached for the third time after a strikeout to load the bases, bringing Zuber to the plate.

“Tough ending, yeah, but you can’t look at one play in a game and say that’s what lost the game,” said Reading. “We shot ourselves in the foot earlier in the game, had the bases loaded and one out, and didn’t score.

“We put the ball in play, and had runners in position a couple times, and didn’t get that timely hit.”

UP NEXT … Pine Grove will play top seed North Schuylkill today at 10:30 a.m. for the 3A title.

Tamaqua 000 000 0 - 0 4 1

Pine Grove 000 001 x - 1 5 0

Ligenza, Boyle (5) and Rother; Leininger, Zimmerman (7) and Bohr. W - Leininger. L - Boyle.