Pennsbury defeated North Penn to capture the District One 6A title. Jarrad Saffren was there and recaps all of Thursday’s action. Pennsbury/NP photos provided courtesy of Cindy Manero.
By Jarrad Saffren
Pennsbury won the District One Class 6A baseball championship on Thursday. The Falcons last won a district title in 1993. They will be the top seed from District One in the PIAA Class 6A tournament.
Neshaminy won the District One 6A third-place game and earned the third seed from District One in the state tournament. And Hatboro-Horsham won the fifth-place game, clinching its first state tournament berth since 2012.
The recaps of all three games are below.
District One Class 6A Championship
#4 Pennsbury 5, #6 North Penn 3
North Penn took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Zack Miles crushed a double down the left field line, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Corey Stouffer’s sacrifice fly to right.
Everything was going smoothly for the Knights. Starter Matt Stevenson had allowed one base runner in the first three innings. But then Pennsbury struck in the bottom of the fourth.
With one out, Billy Bethel drilled a double to the gap in left-center. Then Justin Massielo singled to left, scoring Bethel, tying the game.
Bethel and Massielo both hit fastballs.
“He couldn’t get breaking pitches for strikes,” Bethel said. “We went up looking for fastballs.”
“It was steady fastballs. And it wasn’t moving too much,” Massielo said. “He was using it to get first-pitch strikes.”
With Massielo on first, Dave Murphy walked. They both moved up a base on a passed ball. Then Ryan McCarty rocketed a single off the third baseman’s glove, plating Massielo, putting Pennsbury up 2-1.
Nick Price pushed a surprising bunt toward third base. The third baseman charged, picked the ball up and fired it over the first baseman’s head. Murphy scored to make it 3-1. Kyle Dear capped the rally by lining an RBI single to right.
Nine batters, five hits, four runs. It was a decisive rally. Pennsbury led the rest of the way.
“You go down a run in the district title game and our kids bounce right back and score four runs. That’s huge,” Pennsbury coach Joe Pesci said. “We have such a great group of players and chemistry. They build off of each other’s energy.”
McCarty started on the bump for Pennsbury. In six innings, he allowed nine hits but only two runs. He got out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth.
“I was able to spot up and I have 100 percent trust in my fielders out there,” McCarty said. “I knew North Penn was going to hit the ball.”
Pennsbury fielders made just one error. But they saved their best plays for the biggest moments.
North Penn loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the seventh. Pesci brought in Nate Derry out of the bullpen.
Billy Collins stepped in and scorched the ball to third. Nick Price dove, gloved the ball and fired to second for the force out. Ryan Bealer scored to make it 5-3.
“One of the best plays I’ve ever seen,” Derry said.
Then Derry threw a fastball low and away. Joe Picozzi bounced the ball to Bethel at second. He fielded and fired to Massielo at second for one.
Massielo whipped the ball to first to complete the double play. Pennsbury players stormed the field and mobbed each other. 
“There was never any doubt,” Derry said. “I just had to throw strikes. Our fielders have been great all year.”
Pennsbury (18-6) enters the state tournament red-hot, having won 10 straight games. The Falcons will play Parkland—the second-place team from District 11—in the first round on Monday.
North Penn (20-4) will take on St. Joseph’s Prep—the second-place team from District 12—in a first round game on Monday. The Knights won state titles in their last three state tournament appearances, in 2009, 2013 and 2015, a 12-game winning streak overall.
North Penn 0-0-0-1-1-0-1 3
Pennsbury 0-0-0-4-1-0-X 5
#2 Hatboro-Horsham 3, #3 Spring-Ford 2
Hatboro-Horsham took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Shaun Thomas singled to short. Shane Carpenter scored.
But one inning later, Spring-Ford took a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Hatters loaded the bases with nobody out. Ryan Long and Eddie Schultz walked. Then Thomas was hit by a pitch.
Colin Kennedy stepped up and hit a hard ground ball to second. The second baseman made an error, allowing two runs to score. The Hatters walked off.
Pete Moore has been Hatboro-Horsham’s coach for 16 years. The 2017 team is only his second to make the state tournament.
“It’s a big deal. It’s amazing. These kids have the same mentality and resiliency that our 2012 group had,” Moore said. “Practices were some of the best days I’ve spent with both groups. We work so hard on the little things and that allows us to win games like this, low-scoring, down at the end.”
Kennedy allowed two runs in six innings on Thursday. He also struck out seven.
“He is so good. He’s a kid you want to go into a fight with. He’d throw 125 pitches if you let him,” Moore said. “And he has the skill to go with it. He threw more breaking balls today than he did in most starts. Spring-Ford is a dead-red fastball hitting team. And his curve was better today than it has been all year.”
Alex Crim fanned two in a scoreless seventh.
“Alex is as good as most people. We just happen to have Kennedy and Edgington,” Moore said. “Alex did what he’s done all year today. He pounded the zone. He was efficient. The team has confidence in him.”
Moore also credited nine-hole hitter Ryan Long, who walked twice on Thursday.
“He allowed us to score two runs by getting on and extending innings. Ryan wasn’t in our starting lineup in the first third of the year,” Moore said. “But every time we gave him an opportunity he did something good. We don’t win today without him.”
Hatboro-Horsham (18-6) will play the top seed from District Three in the first round of the state tournament on Monday.
Spring-Ford 0-0-0-0-0-2-0 2
Hatboro-Horsham 0-0-0-0-1-0-2 3
#8 Neshaminy 6, #7 Perkiomen Valley 2
Neshaminy trailed 2-1 going into the seventh inning. Then it rallied for five runs. 
Eric Gale doubled to left. Anthony Rapposelli singled on a bunt toward the mound. Then Zach Tredway bunted and reached on an error by the catcher.
Pinch runner Tyler Jones scored. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Ben Raab doubled to left, plating two runs, giving Neshaminy its first lead.
Cory Joyce came up next and hit a sacrifice fly to left. Eddie Parry scored. Then Joe Kaleck singled to right, scoring Raab.
Neshaminy starter Evan Matthews allowed two runs in five innings. Kyle Rovny pitched two shutout innings and earned the win. He also struck out three.
Neshaminy (18-5) will play District 12 champion Frankford in the first round of the state tournament on Monday.
Neshaminy 0-0-0-0-0-1-5 6
Perkiomen Valley 0-0-0-2-0-0-0 2
About the Author
