North Penn defeated Perkiomen Valley in a District One 6A semifinal game on Wednesday. Photos provided courtesy of Cindy Manero.
#1-6 NORTH PENN 3, #1-7 PERK VALLEY 1
Kevin Manero might not have penciled his team into the district title game when the season began. Not because he didn’t think his players had the talent to do it but because the Knights’ coach understands just how difficult it is to survive the minefield that is District One baseball.
“Our conference, our league and our district are so tough that to be able to scratch your way through and get to the end of the bracket – it is a real accomplishment just to be able to get that far,” Manero said. “It’s definitely a big accomplishment.
“A lot of the guys that are in our starting lineup were playing the last game last season when we got knocked out in the first round of districts. We were one and done. I think those guys came in very hungry this year. They wanted to top that, and they’ve just been outstanding.”
The Knights are looking to clinch their first district crown since 2008. North Penn lost to Council Rock North in the 2015 district title game but went on to win the state championship.
Danny Kirwin once again was in complete command on the mound and took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. He allowed just three hits and one run (unearned) while striking out four and walking three.
“He’s been real consistent this year,” said senior Matt Marino, Kirwin’s batterymate. “He’s had nothing but good outings.
“He didn’t have his best command, but he probably had his best stuff. I guess he was effectively wild against them. Good pitchers know how to pitch when they aren’t hitting their spots, and he did that today.”
“His fast ball was electric today,” Manero said of Kirwin. “He’s a real battler, he’s a competitor. He gets in a good rhythm and works quick. He’s pretty tough out there. Him and (Matt) Stevenson are getting most of our starts, and they’re both doing an outstanding job.”
When Kirwin’s pitch count dictated that he leave the game with one out in the seventh, Manero called on Jon Udzinski, who picked up the final two outs.
“Udzinski throws a lot of strikes, and he came in and did what he does best – throw strikes, pitch to contact and finished out the game for us,” Manero said. “We have several guys we’re confident we can go to in those late-game situations. After their nine hitter, they have a lot of right handed batters, and so we wanted to go righty-righty, and he did a good job.”
The Knights plated a pair of runs in the second inning with Trace Colter delivering an RBI single and Tyler Siddal followed with a sacrifice fly to right field that put the Knights on top 2-0. Marino’s RBI single in the third gave the Knights a 3-0 lead.
“The biggest run was the one we got in the third,” Manero said. “Nate O’Donnell came up with a runner on second base and one out and hit a ground ball to second to move him to third.
“Matt Marino came up and singled to right to turn what was about to be a flat inning into a very big two-out run. To get that kind of production from the bottom part of our order is real big. Matt’s a senior. He’s been in that part of the lineup for three years. Earlier in the year, he was struggling with the bat. For him to come up in key spots like that and get us production at the bottom part of the order is definitely a game changer for us in terms of being productive all the way up and down the lineup.”
Marino, who bats out of the eight hole, was 1-for-2 with an RBI. He also had a sacrifice bunt that put a pair of runners in scoring position. Both scored.
“The hitters behind me, Trace Colter and Tyler Siddal, were able to drive them in with good situational hitting,” Marino said. “It’s a whole team performance. When the top of the order is not doing so hot, the bottom of the order will pick them up. When we’re not doing so hot, the top will pick us up. When we’re both clicking, it’s hard to stop.
“(Coach Manero) always says that the bottom of the order’s job is to get on for the top of the order to knock them in. That’s what we try to do – we try to work counts, get on any way we can and move guys over for the top of the order.”
Joe Picozzi, who bats out of the six hole, scored a pair of runs, and O’Donnell, who bats seventh, scored the other.
“A couple of games ago against Spring-Ford, the top three guys in our lineup scored six runs,” Manero said. “It’s nice to get that production throughout.
“It’s kind of like the white whale to have your entire lineup one through nine clicking at the same time, but I always feel like if the bottom of the order can be productive, it just really sets things up because one through five – you know you’re going to get some kind of production there every game from one or two guys. So when the bottom of the order kicks in a little bit, that really changes things.”
Colter (2-for-3, RBI) and Zack Miles (2-for-3) led the Knights.
Wednesday’s win was number 100 of Manero’s six-year career at the helm, and this one propelled the Knights into the district title game that will pit a pair of SOL conference champions. Continental Conference champion North Penn (20-3, 9-3 SOL) will take on National Conference champion Pennsbury at Immaculata University at 4 p.m.
For Marino, who was part of the Knights’ 2015 state title run, this year’s journey has a different feel to it.
“It’s a lot different because now it’s our seniors’ team,” he said. “When I was a sophomore, I was along for the ride with my seniors that year.
“It was cool for them, in particular, to be there and be a part of that. It’s awesome to do it with your best friends on the team. Everyone is a good teammate, and we have good team chemistry. I just really hope it continues because we’re like a family.”
Perk Valley 000 010 0 1-3-0
North Penn 021 000 x 3-6-2
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