The Colonial Baseball Association squad eked out a 9-8 win over May’s Sandwich Shop (Wilson-West Lawn) in its Baseballtown Charities Showcase in Reading on Wednesday night. (Photos provided courtesy of Colonial Baseball Association)
Baseball is back.
At least it is for members of a Colonial Baseball Association squad that travelled to Reading Wednesday night to play under the lights in the Baseballtown Charities Showcase at FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Reading Fightin Phils.
While no one is pretending the Colonials’ three-game series in three weeks in the 12-team showcase could make up for the loss of the spring season, there was no mistaking its significance.
“This means a lot,” said recent Plymouth Whitemarsh grad Kevin Reilly. “It’s good to be back on the field with all my friends again, it’s good to be together as a team one more time, especially since we were uncertain if we could.
“It was hard losing our season, it was definitely hard.”
Reilly – who will be continuing his baseball career at Binghamton University - had himself quite a night in his first real game action of the summer, finishing 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored in the Colonials 9-8 win over May’s Sandwich Shop, a squad comprised of players from Wilson-West Lawn.
“It was an amazing experience for our guys to get on the field together,” Colonials’ coach Chris Manero said. “We kept talking throughout the spring that we would find a way to do it, we would get on the field somehow, but as the spring went on, it was looking less and less likely that it would happen.
“To have this opportunity, I think it made everybody feel good. It made everybody feel a little bit normal again. To add on top of that – to play in a minor league stadium under the lights on a beautiful summer night, honestly, it was just a great night for any baseball player, any baseball fan. We had a really good crowd there. It was just an all-around positive experience for everybody.”
Reilly echoed similar sentiments.
“It was really nice,” he said of playing at FirstEnergy Stadium. “It ups the energy for every game, especially in a minor league stadium like that, and everyone was happy to be back. I haven’t played much – just pickup games and things like that.”
Manero credited Reading Fightin Phillies general manager Scott Hunsicker, a member of Plymouth Whitemarsh Distinguished Graduates organization, for giving the Colonials this opportunity.
“He played baseball at Plymouth Whitemarsh for Henry DeMito,” Manero said. “He’s a Conshohocken guy, a Plymouth Whitemarsh guy who lives up here now. He was the one I had reached out to first, and for them to put this together is something they don’t have to do, and it gives these kids an opportunity to play.”
The players may have been rusty early on, but they found their groove as they erased an early 3-0 deficit with seven unanswered runs, opening up a 9-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh when May’s Sandwich Shop staged a rally.
After managing just one hit through the first three innings, the Colonials got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Anthony Viola led off the inning with a single to right, and Joe Jaconski followed with a double to deep left.
“Joe Jaconski has been playing a lot already, so he’s in good midseason form,” Manero said of the rising senior. “He’s committed to the University of North Carolina, so it’s really good to see him continue to progress and be that dominant high school player.”
Viola scored on a passed ball, and a double down the left field line by rising junior Mike Miller pulled the Colonials to within one, 3-2.
“Mike Miller hit the ball hard a few times,” Manero said. “He’s another guy that has a chance to have a really big bat as he goes through.”
A four-run fifth gave the Colonials a lead they would not lose. Emerson Abromavage drew a leadoff walk – the first of four issued in the inning. One out later, Zach Redican walked, and with two outs, Viola and Jaconski (RBI) drew back-to-back free passes. Redican scored on a passed ball, and Reilly delivered a clutch two-run single that put the Colonials on top 6-3.
“For Kevin, who had a great high school career - he just showed his leadership behind the plate and is just a comfortable bat in the middle of the lineup,” Manero said. “He hit the ball hard tonight. It was good to see our guys in the two, three, four spots really do well.”
The Colonials two, three and four hitters – Jaconski, Reilly and Miller – accounted for six of their team’s nine hits.
In the sixth inning, Jesse Jaconski was safe on an error and eventually scored on another miscue, putting the Colonials on top 7-3. May’s Sandwich Shop plated a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Colonials added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Jaconski picked up his second double of the night – this one to right center with one out. He scored on Reilly’s single to left, and when Reilly crossed the plate on a single by Miller, the Colonials led 9-4.
“Every game we play to win – even if there’s no championship,” Reilly said. “You still try and win every game. It makes it fun.
“We were a little rusty at first, but after the third inning, we got into a groove, and we were good.”
The Colonials had four extra-base hits – all doubles – with two by Joe Jaconski and one each from Miller and Joe Capriotti.
Five pitchers saw action for the Colonials. Ben Mascio, who earned the starting nod, allowed one run and one hit in two innings. He fanned five. Joe Rauscher, who earned the win, allowed two hits and two runs in two innings. He also struck out five as the duo combined for 10 strikeouts in four innings.
“A lot of these guys are getting ready to play in college,” Manero said. “Ben (Mascio) is going to West Chester. He got a little rust off in the beginning. He’s a guy that’s used to being in the spotlight, used to getting the ball in the big games. It was nice to see him out there in a spotlight type atmosphere.
“Two other pitchers who really looked good were Joe Rauscher and Tom Yanoshik. They’re two guys that have been throwing a lot this summer, so they looked like they’re to the point where they’re getting pretty polished. They’re confident on the mound. Those are two guys that are going to be seniors next year, so it’s really an important summer for them.”
Yanoshik allowed one hit and struck out two in 1.1 innings on the mound.
“All these guys like Joe Jaconski, Joe Rauscher, Tom Yanoshik – we think a lot about the seniors from this spring, but you have to remember the juniors,” Manero said. “Especially in a spring sport like baseball, they didn’t get a chance to play in a very important spring for them if they’re trying to go play at the next level. They need to take every opportunity they have in the summertime to make up for that lost time. It was good to see them come out and take advantage of the opportunity tonight.”
The Colonial Baseball Association squad will return to FirstEnergy Stadium next Tuesday (7:30 p.m.) for a game against Royersford Complete Game.
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