Scott Huff recaps Thursday's district action and previews Friday’s games featuring SOL squads. Check back for all of Friday’s results.
By Scott Huff
Upper Moreland [#1] will advance to the PIAA Class AAA District One final as the Golden Bears edged [#5] Pope John Paul II by a 2-1 score in a semi-final game played at Glen Mills.
Upper Moreland sophomore Charlie Hooker stole the show for the Bears by scoring the first run and driving home the game winning run in the sixth inning. But it was Charlie Hooker the pitcher that showcased the Upper Moreland win with a complete game, three hit effort. He issued only one base on balls and did not allow an earned run.
“Anybody who saw the game today would have thought that Charlie was a senior,” said Upper Moreland head coach Ernie Rehr. “He showed so much poise on the mound and was never rattled in a district playoff game that was close. He pitched to contact – no strikeouts and 14 fly ball outs.”
Hooker scored in the first inning on a wild pitch and drove home the game winner on a single. Matt Kohn scored what proved to be the game-winning run after hitting a triple.
“The outfielder dove for the ball, and it got by him,” said Rehr. “And Charlie came up with the clutch hit.”
Upper Moreland will play in the PIAA Class AAA District One championship game next Wednesday when the Golden Bears face [#2] Phoenixville. The Phantoms advanced to the title game with an 8-4 victory over [# 3] Chichester.
The game will be played at Temple – Ambler campus.
Pope John Paul II 100 000 0 -1 3 0
Upper Moreland Bears 010 001 x -2 4 2
Upper Dublin [N-3] overcame both Mother Nature and Wissahickon [N-11] as the Flying Cardinals flew to a 4-3 PIAA Quad-A District One playoff victory over the Trojans in a nine-inning affair. The second round game was suspended on Wednesday due to weather with the game knotted at 3-3.
Game time for this suspended game was to be 3:30 pm, but torrential rains at game time made the playing field a quagmire. A super effort that included pumps, leaf blowers, and man power made that field playable a little after six o’clock.
“It was a real battle with both Wissahickon and the weather,” said Upper Dublin head coach Ed Wall. “We were able to beat a good Wissahickon team, and we were able to get the game in. Now we have to get ready for tomorrow.”
Upper Dublin will host its quarterfinal district playoff game against Methacton on Friday – 4 pm.
The Flying Cardinals scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Andrew Yekel drew a four-pitch walk to collect the game winning RBI.
Andrew Carber got the win in relief for the Cardinals.
Wissahickon Trojans 102 000 000 -3 7 3
Upper Dublin Cardinals 000 120 001 -4 9 2
PIAA District One Quad-A Quarter Final Playoff Preview
[N-12] Central Bucks South Titans @ [N-8] Central Bucks West Bucks – Friday 4 pm
Central Bucks South eked its way into the 24-team district field as a fourth place finisher in the Suburban One League Continental Conference and with an 8-6 conference record. The Titans, however, were considered a conference favorite going into the season. CB South was been playing its best baseball the final weeks of the regular season, and that fine play has spilled over in the district playoffs.
CB South opened the playoffs with a fine 6-2 victory over defending state champion Conestoga and followed with an impressive 10-4 win over the state runner-up from last season – Spring-Ford. The Titans have been swinging hot bats and have played flawless defense in both wins.
Central Bucks West stumbled toward the end of the season, but the Bucks earned a second place finish in the highly competitive SOL Continental Conference and had a home game in the first round of the district playoffs.
CB West received an excellent outing from Marty Martens in the playoff opener as the Bucks edged West Chester Henderson 3-2, and West whitewashed Delaware Valley League champion – and number one seed [S-1] Interboro – 4-0 to advance to the quarterfinal round.
The Titans and the Bucks played each other twice during the SOL Continental Conference season, and neither would be considered classics. CB South routed CB West 10-1 in the last meeting as the Titans scored six runs in the first inning and received a solid pitching performance from Bobby Witteman. CB West routed CB South 10-0 in the first meeting this season as Martens fired a six-inning no-hitter against the Titans.
Both Witteman and Martens should get the ball in this key district game, and maybe the third meeting will indeed be a classic.
Central Bucks South head coach Mike Schafer says – “We have played the first two games on the road and the players have responded with wins over good baseball programs. CB West is a team we are familiar with, and playing a district rival in a playoff game is going to be an exciting day for our players. Marty Martens is an excellent pitcher, and we will have to play well.”
Central Bucks West head coach Jim Ertel says – “It is no surprise that we get to play Central Bucks South in this game. They have been playing the best baseball in the area, and they have a fine baseball team. For our players to get another home game in the playoffs is special, and we want to keep winning.”
[S-12] Coatesville Red Raiders @ [N-1] Council Rock South Golden Hawks – Friday 4 pm
Coatesville eked its way into the 24-team district field as the # 12 seed from the ‘South’ bracket. The Red Raiders finished the Ches-Mont regular season as the fifth place team. Coatesville, though, have been playing fine baseball winning seven of its last nine games.
The Red Raiders opened the district playoffs with a 1-0 victory over [N-5] Boyertown – champion of the Pioneer Athletic Conference. Bobby Brown threw the gem for the winners. Coatesville followed with its highest scoring effort of the season as the Red Raiders won a second round district playoff game over [S-4] Penncrest – 11-8.
Council Rock South is 17-1 overall and won the Suburban One League National Conference with a 13-1 record. Rock South earned the top seed in the ‘North’ bracket. The Golden Hawks have won eight straight games since losing its only game of the season to Bensalem.
CR South received a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks opened district play in the second round with an impressive 4-1 victory over [N-9] North Penn. Bret DeStefano threw an excellent game for the Golden Hawks in a complete game effort.
The pitching match-up for Friday’s game should be Brown for the Red Raiders and Brian Donnelly for the Golden Hawks.
Council Rock South head coach Greg Young says – “We went into the North Penn game with the idea that we have five good pitchers and we would use them all if we needed them. Brian Donnelly goes for us again on Friday, and now we still have four good pitchers left. We are going to need to continue to get strong pitching and clutch hits.”
[S-3] Downingtown West Whippets @ [N-2] Hatboro-Horsham Hatters – Friday 4 pm
Downingtown West finished fourth in the Ches-Mont League, but still earned a [S-3] seed in the district playoffs. The Whippets are playing its best baseball of the season winning seven of its last nine games.
Downingtown West received a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Whippets came out with a rare mercy-rule victory with a 10-0 win over Bensalem in the second round of the playoffs.
Hatboro-Horsham was the Suburban One League Continental Conference champion. The Hatters have won 12 straight games and last lost a game on April 18th when Hatboro-Horsham dropped a 4-3 contest to Central Bucks West.
Hatboro-Horsham was awarded a first round bye. The Hatters needed some seventh inning magic to score four runs – with just one hit – in a 5-4 victory over visiting [S-7] West Chester Rustin.
Hatboro-Horsham head coach Peter Moore says – “The win over Rustin wasn’t pretty, but we did what we had to do to win the game. We were patient and didn’t panic, and now we get to move on. At this time of the year, all you really want to do is win and move to the next round.”
[N-7] Methacton Warriors @ [N-3] Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals
Methacton finished the season second in the Pioneer Athletic Conference behind champion Boyertown. The Warriors have won its last two district playoff games and have won five of its last eight games.
Methacton opened the district playoffs with a 5-3 win over [S-10] Radnor and followed with an impressive 14-4 victory over favored Downingtown East [S-2] in the second round.
Upper Dublin finished the season as the Suburban One League American Conference champion with a 14-4 record. The Flying Cardinals have won 10 of their last 11 games.
Upper Dublin received a bye in the first round of the district playoffs. The Cardinals had to work overtime to complete a nine-inning, 4-3 victory over conference rival Wissahickon. The game was suspended in the sixth inning due to weather with the game tied at 3-3.
Upper Dublin head coach Ed Wall says – “We are excited to be able to get another home game. We know that we are only going to see good baseball teams, and if we want to continue playing we are going to have to beat good baseball teams.”
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