SOL American Conference
UPPER DUBLIN 2, ABINGTON 0
The weather on Friday may have been dreary, but the glittering performances of pitchers Peter Johnson and Karan Acharya went a long way toward brightening the dismal day. The duo – unbeknownst to everyone until after the game – combined to toss a no-hitter.
“We all got on the bus, and we were just excited about the win,” said coach Ed Wall, whose team swept its home and away series with the Ghosts. “Someone said, ‘Pete, I don’t think you gave up a hit.’
“We didn’t know it was a no-hitter until we got on the bus. That’s how much everyone was into the team part of it and into the moment. It was cool but weird at the same time because usually that is something everyone notices and you just don’t say anything about it. It was a great realization afterwards, and we all celebrated and had a good time with that.”
Johnson threw five-and-a-third shutout innings, striking out eight and walking four.
“Pete Johnson did a good job today,” Wall said. “He started off five out of the six innings that he started – he started out with a strikeout. When you get the leadoff guy out in an inning, it makes life a lot easier.
“He took that to heart – we’ve been preaching that quite a bit. He’s continuously gotten better every time out. We’re creating competition in our pitching rotation, which is awesome.”
Last season, Johnson was used in a middle relief role.
“We ended up having guys like Garrett Breslin and Ryan Besachio who last year could throw seven innings, and they always kept us close in the games, so the middle relief spot didn’t really play well for us,” Wall said. “Pete’s been working really hard on his own, and it’s starting to really show and pay off for him, and I’m really proud.”
Johnson was lifted after throwing 88 pitches with one out in the sixth.
“His pitch count got up there a little bit, being a tight game,” Wall said. “He was doing really well. We had (Karan) Acharya ready to go. He was feeling really good.
“We brought him in and he took care of business. He came in and threw three strikeouts in the seventh.”
Acharya threw one-and-two-thirds shutout innings. He fanned three and walked one.
Wall also credited catcher Alex Goldenberg.
“So far, he’s caught five guys stealing, and he picked another guy off,” the Flying Cardinals’ coach said. “He’s just been really doing a great job, and he had a big caught stealing in the sixth inning for the third out in the inning today.
“They had a guy on, and they hadn’t had a lot of guys on all day. It was a huge momentum swing going into the seventh inning, and it really helped us slam the door.”
The Flying Cardinals put a run on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning without the benefit of a hit. Jacob Womelsdorf drew a leadoff walk, and one out later, Alex Goldenberg was hit by a pitch. An errant throw on a steal allowed Womelsdorf to cross the plate.
In the top of the seventh, the Cardinals added an insurance run. Brian McPeak drew a two-out walk, and Acharya singled. A walk to Jarrod Matz loaded the bases, and UD scored its second run when Womelsdorf drew a bases-loaded walk.
Upper Dublin (5-1, 4-0 SOL) will host Quakertown in a non-league game Monday, and Abington (1-3, 2-4) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday.
Upper Dublin 000 100 1 2-4-2
Abington 000 000 0 0-0-2
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