It’s do or die for Junior Pioneers

ZANESVILLE – The Junior Pioneers haven’t won a AAABA regional title since 1973, when manager Tom Checkush pulled the feat in Dearborn, Michigan.

Led Zeppelin released “Houses of the Holy” that year, while Helen Reddy and Carly Simon spent weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. In baseball, the upstart New York Mets rode ace Tom Seaver to a World Series before falling to the Oakland Athletics.

The current crop of Juniors, who will play in the Checkush Regional this weekend at Gant Municipal Stadium, weren’t alive to enjoy any of that.

But at 30-3, which included a stretch of 27 straight regular season wins, they’re excited to make their own history.

“It’s surprising because there have been some good teams,” shortstop Matthew Lynn, of Zanesville, said of the 42-year streak without a title. “(Breaking it) would mean a lot, not just for us, but for the name of the Junior Pioneers and this area.”

This time, there is even more at stake.

After receiving automatic qualifying bids for hosting the tournament for years, the Juniors must win the regional to advance to the national tournament in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It’s the result of probation, stemming from taking fewer than 12 players to the tournament in former manager Doug Pollock’s final season.

They will play a best-of-3 with Cleveland to decide who advances — Chicago also was due to be at Gant, but received an automatic bid and isn’t competing — beginning with a seven-inning doubleheader at noon Saturday.

In necessary, a third game will be Sunday afternoon.

“It definitely changes the way you approach the games,” Lynn said.

Manager of David Balo knows his team will be challenged, comparing Cleveland to many of the top teams in its league, the Central Ohio Independent League.

“I got a report on them from another coach and was told they’re pretty legit,” Balo said. “Apparently they have a lot of Division II and Division III (college) kids like we do, but you never know. They could bring some D-I guys with them.”

Pitching and a slick middle infield, led by Lynn and Grove City native Dallas Allen, the second baseman, have been the foundation of the team. Third baseman Jacob Horsley, from Sheridan and Ohio Dominican, and catchers Drew Ritchie, of Tri-Valley, and Michael Pagano have more than held their own.

Horsley also is the team’s No. 3 hitter in the lineup, which relies more on timely hitting and speed than power.

“Horsley makes some tremendous plays,” Balo said. “They’re some of the best middle infielders I’ve been around as a coach or player.”

Balo has his concerns about the offense, which has been inconsistent of late, noting it is difficult to hold down strong offensive teams for nine innings.

Horsley admitted it’s an unpredictable element of the game.

“Hitting can turn on as quickly as it turned off,” Horsley said. “If one or two guys get a couple hits to start an inning, it can jump-start it. It’s weird like that. Hitting is contagious. You never know when it’s coming.”

They certainly don’t lack confidence.

“(Cleveland) is definitely going to be a good team, but I like our chances,” Lynn said.

sblackburn@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

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Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR