Hoff's game-winner sparks A-P home sweep

PARKERSBURG – After a potential game-winning opportunity turned into an inning-ending miscue, Coby Hoff swiftly got his chance for redemption on Wednesday night.

The Aplington-Parkersburg senior didn't hesitate, delivering a walk-off single to right-center field for a 2-1 Falcons win over NICL East-leading Denver. A-P picked up the sweep with a 2-1 win in Game 2 as Hudson, Denver and the Falcons all sit one loss behind the new league leader, Dike-New Hartford.

The Falcons had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh inning of Game 1, with Hoff representing the game-winning run on third after A-P had tied the game at 1-1. A shallow fly to left field from Carter Cuvelier was caught for the second out, but A-P coach Roger Oberhauser said he didn't communicate directions clearly enough to Hoff on the tag up.

"It was a matter of a different letter in front of the 'o'," Oberhauser said.

Hoff was tagged out in a rundown between third and home to force extra innings.

"I told Coby afterward that that was on me," Oberhauser said, "but that we were gonna fight back."

Sure enough, the Falcons loaded the bases once again in the eighth inning and Hoff's single brought Aaron Price home and sent a flock of Falcons over to congratulate Hoff.

"I messed up there but I had a chance to redeem myself," Hoff said. "We knew if we just stuck in there and had a positive attitude we could score some runs and win."

The Falcons outlasted a platoon of Zach Miller and Brock Farley, collecting a total of six hits in the final two innings as the Cyclones swapped out both pitchers frequently, likely to try and save Miller for Friday's doubleheader with Dike-New Hartford.

A-P countered with Cuvelier and the Falcons starter held Denver to one unearned run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Hudson Morris earned the victory when Cuvelier was pulled at his pitching limit, and Morris added another pitching victory as Game 2's starter, allowing one run on eight hits.

Two runs from the Falcons in the first inning of Game 2 were enough to last the whole nightcap, with Price coming in for the seventh-inning save.

"Hudson's not the fastest throwing guy but he competes on the mound no matter what," Hoff said. He added with regard to A-P's NICL East title hopes: "We'll just keep playing and hope that it works out for us."

Read more about the Falcons in next week's Eclipse.