Rising junior Matt Wagner is one of those guys that did some damage Thursday.
For the better part of two years, Tyler Diefenbach has been one of the lesser known stars of the New Jersey baseball world.
But this American Legion baseball season has seen the Phillipsburg native break out on the big stage with Whitehouse Post 284.
Thursday afternoon, in the New Jersey American Legion Baseball state semifinal, Diefenbach led the Indians back to their third state final appearance in four years, with a complete game 6-4 win over defending state and Mid-Atlantic Regional champion Hopewell Post 339.
Whitehouse Post 284 will take on Broad Street Park Post 313, a 4-2 winner over Washington Township Post 521, in the state final 4 p.m. Friday (weather permitting) at Ewing's Moody Park.
Diefenbach scattered four hits over seven innings, to help Whitehouse Post 284 (30-4) back into the final after a year's absence. The Indians won the 2016 title, and finished as regional runner-up.
"I knew coming into the game they were going to be tough,"Diefenbach said. "I had the same game plan I have had all year: pound the zone, throw strikes, and try to keep them off balance. I held my slider off until the later innings, and it helped a lot.
"When I missed, they hit it. But we kept to our game plan, and it helped out a lot."
Whitehouse Post 284 manager Steve Farsiou was effusive in his praise of Diefenbach after the game.
"Montclair State got themselves an absolute beast," Farsiou said. "He is a stud. He is one of the best pitchers in the state, and maybe the entire region."
Matt Busher, Justin Johnson lead Whitehouse Post 284 into state semifinal
Peter Cosentino is one of Diefenbach's current team mates with the Indians, and who will continue to be with him next season at Montclair State. The Whitehouse first baseman had one of the biggest hits of the game in the top of the fourth, with a solo home run that gave the Indians a 5-2 lead.
The blast came just three batters after Jake Tobia had cut the lead to 4-2 with his own home run in the bottom of the third.
"All I know is that coach Farsiou preaches every day to come to practice, work hard, and don't take any days off," Cosentino said. "I was just trying to hit a good ball hard somewhere. The wind was blowing out to left. My mindset was not trying to hit a ball out, but maybe hit a ball into the gap and have (Luke) Longo try to score me.
"Everyone in our lineup is an insanely good hitter. One day it could be me, then it could be anyone else the next day. Anyone in our lineup has a chance to put some damage up."
Rising junior Matt Wagner is one of those guys that did some damage Thursday. The Indians third baseman went 2-for-4, including a leadoff double in the top of the fifth. He came around to score on Justin Johnson's (2-for-4, two runs, RBI) double, to give Whitehouse a 6-4 lead.
The game was also the first time this season that Wagner played third base. He last played the position two years ago, and his play in the field was pivotal in the victory.
"The players who have been here teach you a lot," Wagner said. "I had J.J (Johnson) and Ryan Koep, who both had my back out there. This was my first time this year. I played it two years ago."
But while Whitehouse Post 284 had 11 hits, it came down to the man on the mound to finish off Hopewell, and he did exactly that. Diefenbach retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced, with the other reaching via error, to silence the defending champion just when he should have been starting to tire.
With a no-hitter against Boyertown at the Berks County Tournament, and numerous other big game starts over the course of the season, Diefenbach has his team right back where it belongs: playing for a state title Friday.
"My game plan has never changed, every since I was little," Diefenbach said. "I have always been taught to pound the strike zone, throw strikes, and have a short memory. It has helped me out through my whole career.
"It is so big for us now. This is where we have wanted to be for the whole year. These guys, we have put a lot of hard work in, and I am glad we have got here. We just have to keep winning and keep moving on."
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean