Bulldogs hoping to take advantage of ‘second life’ in district playoffs

Nothing has come easily for this Wilson baseball team.

A 10-inning loss in the season opener at Bethlehem Liberty set the tone for what has been a season-long grind. It was the first of four straight losses to open the season and the first of six one-run defeats.

After a season which saw the Bulldogs bulldoze teams on the way to a second straight District 3 Class 6A championship they’ve found themselves constantly digging out of a hole.

“That first game of the season, it showed us how competitive we can be,” said senior first baseman Rueben Livingston, “and it showed us we have a lot to work on. We grinded every day in practice, and look where it’s gotten us now.”

The Bulldogs (11-10), who didn’t squeeze into the 12-team district field until the final day of the regular season, are now just a couple wins away from a state tournament berth after beating fifth-seeded Dallastown 1-0 in their District 3 opener Monday.

They’ll be back at it Thursday, at fourth-seeded Manheim Township. They’ll have Livingston, their top pitcher, on the mound and — for the first time all season — a little wind in their sails.

“Our kids are starting to feel confident,” said Wilson coach Sal Raccuglia. “(Dallastown was) a big win.”

Livingston is the only senior in the everyday lineup and Raccuglia has put a lot on his captain’s broad shoulders — and Livingston has responded.

Despite having almost no protection around him in the lineup — no other regular is hitting above .271 — he has batted .377 with 12 extra-base hits, a .558 on-base percentage and a .735 slugging percentage.

It’s not the way it was last season, when Livingston had All-Berks picks and future college players above and behind him in the lineup.

“It’s been a lot different, going from being the guy that’s learning to being the guy that everyone’s learning from,” said the two-time All-Berks pick.

“It has been tough, but it’s something I knew was going to happen coming into this year with this young team,” he said. “As much as I can give to them, they’re going to give to me, and it’s all I can ask for.

“Even though it has been really, really hard, as long as these guys give 110 percent I’m gonna give mine and we’re gonna do a lot.”

With Lehigh University recruit Cole Leaman unavailable to pitch in the postseason Livingston has stepped up there, too. He didn’t pitch much his first two seasons in high school and was limited to one appearance and two innings last season because of a rotator cuff issue. He has emerged as one of the league’s most dominant pitchers this season.

He has struck out 59 over 38 innings, with a 1.29 ERA. He pitched and won a Berks League quarterfinal against Twin Valley, 3-2, then threw a two-hitter in a do-or-die situation against Boyertown, keeping the Bulldogs’ season alive and launching them into the district playoffs.

“He’s such a good leader, and these kids look up to him,” Raccuglia said. “It’s easy to lead when you’re successful. Rueben’s been successful a lot, but even when he hasn’t he’s able to bring the guys in and give ’em the pep talk. He’s the full package. Whatever ‘it‘ is, he’s got ‘it‘.”

Livingston was scheduled to pitch in Monday’s opener but experienced arm tightness a few days before and Raccuglia went with Matt VanOstenbridge. The sophomore came through with a four-hit shutout.

Finally, after dropping one-run games to playoff teams such as Muhlenberg, Hempfield and Exeter, Wilson is winning the close games.

“With this very young team, we knew it was going to take a lot to make it here,” Livingston said, “and we were able to do it. (Making districts) is a second chance; it’s a second life to show what we can do.”

Livingston and the Bulldogs will be challenged against Manheim Township (18-4), which just swept to a Lancaster-Lebanon League championship, outscoring three opponents 24-8. Township had a first-round bye in districts.

The Blue Streaks have a plethora of pitching options. They could go with Ben Shenosky, a Wake Forest recruit who’s 7-1 and has 63 strikeouts over 36 2/3 innings; J.T. Weaver, who has a 1.20 ERA and won the league championship game; or Fisher Druck, who’s 5-1 with a 1.69 ERA.

Township has a 1.76 team ERA; Wilson’s is 1.83.

The winner advances to the district semifinals; the top three finishers will earn a PIAA berth.

The Bulldogs are essentially playing with house money at this point. They were written off by some in early April. Thursday they’ll take the field with a winning record for the first time this season.

“It’s like our third season,” Raccuglia said. “It’s a chance for us to take advantage of an opportunity.”