Cisney tosses gem as Holy Redeemer beats Wyoming Seminary in AA Baseball Semifinals
By: Nate Johns | Sportzwire | May 23, 2025 | Photo courtesy Sportzwire
It was a tough first inning for Holy Redeemer senior Drew Cisney. He allowed the first five Wyoming Seminary batters to reach base, giving up two runs on two hits, two walks and a hit batter. However, he was able to fight through both a rough first inning as well as a neck issue. “I was having neck issues that I’ve been having since that Wyoming Area game,” Cisney said in a postgame interview. “It was just like Wyoming Area, took some advil, put some ice on it and I was good.”
On the mound, Cisney was more than good, he was dominant. He pitched six innings and allowed only two runs which came in the first. He retired 11 straight Blue Knights hitters and recorded 11 strikeouts. Royals head coach Ryan Knowles said of Cisney “He’s been dealing with a neck injury, and he was fantastic today. And he’s a leader on our team and he showed up big time, especially with 11 strikeouts.
Zachary Schultz closed out the game on the mound for the Royals. He pitched the seventh inning and retired the side in order with back-to-back strikeouts. There’s a lot of options to go with,” coach Knowles said following the game. “And we’re one of the lucky ones with a ton of options, especially with pitching.”
The Blue Knights got out to a hot start in that first inning, taking a 2-0 lead. Antek Evan brought home the first run on an RBI double and Alec Weinberger drew a bases loaded walk for the second run. The Royals tied things up in the bottom of the first via a two-run double from Alex Gordon. Cisney, who scored the second run, described the response as “a 0-0 ballgame, just like playing from the beginning.”
From that point forward, the Royals took the lead and never looked back. Cisney helped his cause with an RBI single in the second to make it 3-2. The third inning saw RBI singles from Jett Kelsall and Jack Hurst which made the score 6-2. Coach Knowles credits the team’s offensive success with being aggressive. “We stole bases, we put the ball on the ground, we sacrificed… all that adds up to a nice, nice victory there.” Seven of the Royals nine hitters reached base in the game.
This was the third meeting between these two teams this season, having split the regular season series. The Blue Knights upset the Royals 6-5 back on May 12. “I think just our mentality coming in, (being) a little more prepared, playing a little bit more small ball, and stealing some bases. Getting that extra base here and there can really rejuvenate your team,” coach Knowles said when asked about the adjustments from their last meeting.
The Royals advance to the District Two AA Championship, currently scheduled for May 28. They will face one of Elk Lake, Old Forge or Holy Cross. The Crusaders and Warriors will play their quarterfinal game on May 24, and the winner will play Old Forge in the other semifinal at an unknown date.
