Pennsbury advanced to the District One 6A semifinals. Pennsbury photos provided courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography.
District One 6A quarterfinals
#5 PENNSBURY 4, #4 SOUDERTON 1
What a difference a year makes.
Last year, a Pennsbury squad with high hopes did not earn a spot in the 20-team field in the District One 6A Tournament. On Friday, the Falcons not only advanced to the district semifinals but also punched their ticket to the state tournament, riding the strong arm of senior Callan Fang to the impressive road win.
“I think the biggest thing for me is staying in the moment,” Fang said. “I can’t look ahead. There was a jam early, and I was like, ‘This is the most important part of the game. I have to get out of this jam,’ and when the next one comes up, I have to focus on the moment. Just doing that, staying pitch by pitch. Every pitch is super important.”
The significance of earning a spot in states was not lost on Fang.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “After last year’s disappointment – we just missed playoffs, and we thought our team was super talented. That’s what it’s all about. Obviously, getting that berth is assuring, but our job is not done. We still have a few games in districts, and we’re looking to win them, but ultimately, now we have a chance to win the state title. That’s what means the most.”
The Indians had some opportunities, putting a pair on board in the first inning. They had runners on second and third with one out in the fourth, and Fang slammed the door on that threat.
“Honestly, Callan got us out of every single inning,” Pennsbury coach Joe Pesci said. “He had guys on second and third with one out – two strikeouts. Guy on second and third with one out – two strikeouts. Guy on third with one out – two strikeouts.
“I’m telling you – he ended so many innings with strikeouts, especially when they would threaten. We had a weird play where it was a slow line drive where (our fielder) hesitated, then we had an error on a bunt play, and I’m like, ‘Here it is – this is it,’ and Callan just comes in and blows these kids away. It was just amazing because he’s been good all year, but he was just masterful today.”
In 6.2 innings, Fang allowed five hits and one run, striking out 14 and walking none.
“I think I did a good job mixing pitches,” Fang said. “I threw my fastball, change-up and curveball all for strikes. I definitely mixed up sequences in certain counts. I don’t think I was super predictable, and just the ability to be able to go to any pitch in any count. Just confidence and being able to execute.”
The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the second. Justin Mitrovich and Joe Tiroly opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and Reese Hirsh followed with the team’s third straight single, this one plating Mitrovich.
Pennsbury took that tenuous 1-0 lead into the top of the seventh. Jackson Freeman singled to lead off the inning, and pinch hitter Brody Travagline followed with a bunt single. With one out, Charlie Evans singled home a run, and then it was Fang helping his own cause with a two-run double to left field to put the Falcons on top 4-0.
“The typical guys hit, but Reese Hirsh, Jackson Freeman and Brody Travagline – Reese started off the game with the RBI for us, and then Jackson and Brody got that last inning going for us,” Pesci said.
The Indians broke up Fang’s shutout bid in the seventh. Justin Dicesare lined a single to right to open the inning, and two outs later, Kaden Pasternak brought him home with a single.
Fang reached his pitch count with two outs in the seventh. Gavin Hawkes came in and retired the first batter he faced to close it out.
“It’s great the way Callan threw today because I feel like I ran us out of the second inning,” Pesci said. “I sent the runner from second base, and he got thrown out at the plate. We had scored one run, there were no outs. If I would have held him, it would have been first and third with no outs, and then even a ground ball double play, we score another run.
“But it was misty during I/O, the guys were throwing the ball all over the place, and I was like, ‘You know what, I’m going to risk it.’ Well, the kid came up and threw an absolute missile and Joe was out by two or three feet. At that point, I’m like, ‘Oh crap, did I just cost us,’ but I always think in my mind I’d rather get a guy thrown out than not send him and wish I would have.”
Friday’s win avenged the Falcons’ 9-7 regular season loss to Souderton in a game the Falcons led 5-1.
“We definitely had that in the back of our minds,” Fang said. “That game was super difficult. We got up early, and things kind of went downhill from there. Both sides should probably agree that game was ours, and we let it slip away at the end.
“Going in, we just wanted to – not get revenge, but we wanted to finish the job. It was good that we played a complete game.”
Pennsbury has won 11 straight since their April 22 loss to Souderton while the Indians started a 13-game winning streak on April 22 that was snapped on Friday.
“They’re the four seed, we’re the five seed and they beat us, so we were coming back for them,” Pesci said. “We only struck out three times. We were putting the ball in play consistently. We hit the ball hard at guys, but we just kept after it. In that seventh inning, we had a couple hits – we had three straight singles. The kids stayed on it, and Callan kept us in the game the whole day.”
Hirsh and Freeman led the Falcons with two hits each while Luke Pollock’s 2-for-3 effort led the Indians.
Pennsbury (19-3, 13-3 SOL) will travel to top-seeded West Chester Henderson for Tuesday’s semifinal contest. Souderton (18-4, 14-2) will host #6 Garnet Valley in a playback game for a state berth and the opportunity to continue its season.
Pennsbury 010 000 3 4
Souderton 000 000 1 1
#7 COATESVILLE 9, #2 HATBORO-HORSHAM 2
Friday’s game looked as though it might be following a familiar script when the Hatters – just as they had in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Downingtown East – put a run on the board in the first inning.
Trey Porter drew a leadoff walk and moved up to second on a passed ball. Jack Elwell followed with a bunt single, and Porter raced home when the Red Raiders committed an error on the play.
The game took a decidedly different turn than Wednesday’s when the Red Raiders erupted for five runs in the third and added four more over the next two innings.
The Hatters scored their second run in the bottom of the seventh when Ryan Toporowski, who singled, scored on a Logan Fischer groundout. By that time, the Red Raiders had the game well in hand, leading 9-1.
Coatesville junior Ben Jones allowed just three hits and two runs (one earned) in the complete game win. He struck out four and walked four.
Stephen Plevka absorbed the loss. He allowed five runs in three innings. A bright spot in the loss was the relief effort of Toporowski, who threw 2.2 scoreless inning, allowing just one hit while striking out one and walking one.
Hatboro-Horsham (17-4, 15-1 SOL) will host #9 Perkiomen Valley Tuesday in a playback game. The winner will continue to play for a berth in the PIAA 6A Tournament, and the loser will go home. Perk Valley fell to #1 West Chester Henderson 12-0 in a quarterfinal game on Friday.
Coatesville 005 130 0 9-11-1
Hatboro-Horsham 100 000 1 2-3-1
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