For most teams, that misplay would spell the end of their title hopes.

But not championship teams.

As it proved over its final three at-bats, Pine Valley is a championship team.

Chris Buczek’s team batted around in both the fourth and fifth innings, and scored 15 unanswered runs to claim its first sectional title since 2013 with a 16-7 victory over Franklinville at Charlie LaDuca Field.

The Pine Valley Panthers pose with their Section VI Class D championship banner and plaque after beating Franklinville 16-7 in the title game Thursday in South Dayton. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

“A lot of people dismiss how hard it is to win this game,” Buczek said after being soaked by a cooler full of water postgame. ” … Do I wish there was another round? Yes, absolutely because I’m not ready to let go of the two seniors I have and I think that this team has a lot more baseball left in them.”

The championship is the 17th in program history and fifth for Buczek.

“The best feeling is watching the kids smile the way they smile. The parents smile, the community smiles,” the 13-year head coach said. “It feels as great as the first one. It’s different kids smiling, but the same great feeling.”

Pine Valley starting pitcher Travis West walked a man to open the fourth inning, but a groundout and a foul popout had him on the verge of escaping with no damage done until a harmless pop-up between third base and the pitcher’s mound bounced out of his third baseman’s glove allowing Matt Peters to score from third.

“That ball was in his glove and it came out, but when the bench … player 1-16 act like they did, I can never lose faith,” Buczek said. “This is one of the closest groups of kids I’ve ever coached and it was evident because they had each other’s back.”

Franklinville’s Isaac Towne followed with a single to left field and Gannon Callahan was hit by a pitch to bring up the top of the order.

Leadoff hitter Logan Frank cleared the bases with a three-run triple to right field and then scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-1. Beau Bielecki walked and stole second before Blake Frank hit an RBI single to make it 7-1.

“I knew we were coming back,” Pine Valley senior David Hunt said. “Our energy is the strongest part of us. Once we start going it carries on the whole time.”

In the bottom of the inning, Pine Valley began to take advantage of Franklinville’s miscues. Sam Hunt led off with a single and went to second on an errant pickoff throw before Cameron Hayes singled and George Kruszka walked to load the bases.

David Hunt then hit a two-run double to right field, but kept running to third even though Kruszka held up. Eventually, Kruszka broke for home and Franklinville’s throw to the plate was late allowing Pine Valley to score its third run on the play. Craig Howard followed with an RBI single and went to second on a passed ball before Wayne Libby was hit by a pitch.

Bryce Sercu followed with an RBI single, but Libby was thrown out trying to make it to third on the play. Logan Frank hit his second batter of the inning to put another runner on, but got out of the jam with a strikeout and a popout to keep the 7-6 lead intact.

West got out of the top of the fifth inning with a pair of strikeouts, allowing the Pine Valley offense the chance to add on.

“Travis started slow at the beginning of the season and then he came on. … He has great stuff when he’s on,” Buczek said. ” … If that one error doesn’t happen, Travis might be able to finish this game.”

An error, two wild pitches, two walks and singles from David Hunt, Sercu, Donovan Guglielmi, Sam Hunt and Hayes allowed Pine Valley to take the lead with an eight-run inning that chased Logan Frank and put the hosts six outs away from the championship.

“We knew Logan Frank was maybe the best pitcher in Class D. We knew they saved him from North Collins so we knew what we were going to get,” Buczek said. ” … Player 1-16 helped beat Logan Frank today. They didn’t quit, they just kept coming and coming.”

Buczek turned to Guglelmi for the final two innings and the only baserunner he allowed came on a two-out error in the sixth inning.

“I asked Donavon if he wanted the ball and he said ‘Yes sir, I want it really bad.’ It’s easy as a coach when your kids talk like that,” Buczek said. ” … I knew that they were a little bit shaken by the curveball and a little off-balance. With Donavon’s ability to throw a curveball, it kept them off-balanced.”

Guglielmi induced a groundout to Sercu at first base for the final out, setting off a home-field celebration for the Panthers.

“I believed in our team since Day 1,” Buczek said. ” … I thought we could play with anybody.”

NOTES: Pine Valley pounded out 14 hits, led by four from Sercu. David Hunt was a home run shy of the cycle while Hayes had a pair of singles. … West and Guglelmi held Franklinville to just two hits outside of the three the Panthers had in the fourth inning after the two-out error. West struck out nine, including the side in the first and third innings. … Logan Frank struck out eight for Franklinville.