PHILADELPHIA - Winning baseball teams are just that because they consistently excel in the fundamentals on offense and defense – aka, they do the “little things” better than their opponents.
Case in point is Malvern Prep.
In their 3-2 victory April 19 at Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy, the Friars quashed a potential SCH run in each of the first two innings. In the first, a one-out single went for naught because the runner was picked off first base. In the second, a lead-off single was erased in the same fashion, which proved very fortuitous because later in the inning, a two-out single and two-base error would have given the Blue Devils an early tally.
“We play team baseball,” said junior pitcher Jimmy Kingsbury. “If someone struggles, we try to pick him up by having someone else do the job. It doesn’t matter who does it, as long as it gets done.”
Kingsbury turned out to be the winning pitcher against SCH because he relieved wild junior starter Chris Muntz with two on and no outs in the third inning and proceeded to surrender only one run over the middle three innings before giving way to sophomore Billy Corcoran, who notched a two-inning save.
“We have a very deep pitching staff,” said Kingsbury, who has already committed to play baseball at Villanova. “We all prepare well. No matter who pitches, we feel good about our chances.”
His team trailing, 2-1, Malvern senior Chance DiFebbo walked and eventually advanced to third base on a stolen base and a ground out by senior Cam Williams, whose double back in the third inning had given Malvern a 1-0 edge.
With two outs, up stepped Muntz, the same guy who a few days earlier had smacked two home runs and knocked in seven runs to almost singlehandedly defeat Haverford School.
With two outs, Muntz continued his Hank Aaron imitation when he slammed a pitch deep to right-center field. Teammate Kingsbury let out a yell because, he said, he knew the ball was going to land well over the fence.
Malvern's Shane Muntz picks off an SCH runner at first base.
SCH pitcher Gunnar Hayes notches an early strikeout.
Muntz was manhandled as he returned to the dugout, his two-run dinger giving Malvern a 3-2 lead. The pitching and defense did the rest.
“It was a tough day at plate for myself,” he said. “I struck out two times before that on curveballs and finally was able to just see one and go get it. Luckily, it went over the fence.”
Although he always aims to remain level emotionally, Muntz admitted he was more visually animated after what amounted to a game-winning blast.
“I got pumped up after hitting that homerun,” he said. “Usually I try to stay even-tempered, but when the moments are big, it just comes out. I wanna win every game I play in and be a leader in the way I approach the game and come through in the clutch.
”I wasn’t happy with my pitching. It needs to improve for sure. The bullpen bails us out all the time.”
A clean ground single by Malvern Prep's Chance DiFebbo
Cam Williams doubles home C. DiFebbo to give Malvern a 1-0 lead
Nick Rowland steals home to give Springside-Chestnut Hill a 2-1 lead
Though there are several more weeks to come, Malvern’s victory could prove to be immense. The Friars possess sole ownership of first place with a 3-0 record while SCH sits at 2-1.
“It was huge to beat Chestnut Hill,” said Muntz. “We couldn't win the league today, but it definitely helped give us some breathing room. Every game is a war.”
NOTES: Inter-Ac standings through April 20: Malvern is 3-0; Springside-Chestnut Hill and Episcopal Academy are 2-1; Haverford School and Penn Charter are 1-2; Germantown Academy is 0-3. Upcoming schedule: Thursday, April 21 – Haverford School at Germantown Academy; Friday, April 22 – Penn Charter at Malvern Prep; Episcopal at SCH. All games begin at 3:45.
(John Knebels can be reached at jknebels@gmail.com.)