INTER-AC BASEBALL: It’s politically correct to praise a victory as a “team win”. Sometimes, however, one player deserves just about all the credit for a team’s fine fortunes.
Enter Episcopal Academy senior Kyle Virbitsky.
EA senior, Kyle Virbitsky - PSD photo by Zamani Feelings
On April 12 at Haverford School, Virbitsky pitched all seven innings. He allowed two hits and struck out 11. At the plate, he . . . slammed two home runs and . . . knocked in all five Churchmen runs.
If the post-game interview included anything about the “whole team” thing, it was respectfully edited out. Well, most of it, anyway.
“I’m not really sure what to say,” a humble Virbitsky said. “From the hitting side, going into Haverford in previous years, your eyes get big as you see the shorter fence. I really tried to stay within myself and hit the ball the other way, and it just so happened that I connected on two pretty good balls.”
And from the mound?
“I tried to get in a rhythm and work fast and efficiently the whole game,” said Virbitsky. “On that field, especially, having base runners on and long innings takes its toll on you as you feel like you’re squeezed in a little box.
“I thought I did a good job of working ahead and limiting baserunners. My team played well behind me, too. The outfield caught everything and we didn’t have an error on the infield, so it was a very clean day. Proud of our guys.”
Episcopal vs. Penn Charter (30 PSD photos by Zamani Feelings)
At Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy, junior Aidan Frye flummoxed Penn Charter to the tune of three hits and no runs allowed in seven shutout innings. It took a bases-loaded walk to sophomore Sam Aslansan with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to secure a 1-0 SCHA victory and its 10th consecutive win over the Quakers.
“I just went out and did my job,” said Frye. “I dominated with my fastball and painted the corners. Everybody did their job and we pulled out the win.”
Aslansan’s walk scored sophomore Pat Elliott, who had pinch run for senior Ian Diaz after the latter had led off with a walk. Penn Charter senior pitcher Joey Lancellotti suffered a rugged defeat after surrendering four hits and striking out 12.
Tommy Toal tries to stay away from focusing on statistics, but hey, supportive parents can sometimes make that difficult.
So, in the third inning of a non-league, 1-0 loss to visiting Archbishop Carroll on April 8, the Haverford School senior second baseman collected his 100th career hit. He had been aware that triple digits were approaching, but he wasn’t exactly sure how close.
Haverford vs. Malvern Prep (11 Photos by Chip Frenette)
It wasn’t until after the game that he was told he had reached the milestone.
“Thinking back to my freshman season, the only thing I was worried about was winning games and keeping my starting position,” said Toal. “Kevin McGowan (Class of 2014) got his 100th hit my freshman year, and after I heard about him reaching the milestone, it became something that I wanted to achieve as well.”
It’s not inconceivable that another Toal brother will reach such a lofty plateau a few years from now. Patrick Toal, Tommy’s brother, is Haverford School’s starting first baseman and off to an impressive beginning.
(from left to right) Haverford School senior, Tommy Toal, stands next to his younger brother, Patrick Toal - Photo courtesy of Monica Toal
“Playing with my brother has been very cool because this is the first time we have played on the same team together,” said Toal. “I hit leadoff and he has been hitting in the nine hole lately, so we have been batting back to back.”
In a recent 8-3 win against Cardinal O’Hara, Tommy Toal drove home Patrick from second base with a single.
It’s probably a preview of things to come.
Malvern Prep has exhibited the ability to win easily, or dramatically. In a 6-5 success at Haverford School on April 7, the Friars trailed 3-0 heading into the top of the seventh. About a half hour later, Malvern owned a 6-3 lead after batting around. The Friars then survived a Haverford rally that fell short a run.
On April 12, the Friars won again, but without any angst. A 10-0, six-inning win over Germantown Academy included a three-run homer by senior Shane Muntz. After the game, the players and coaches celebrated coach Freddy Hilliard’s 200th career win.
“It shows we can still ground out tough games and also focus during blowouts,” said Malvern junior Brady Devereux. “As a team, our sense of urgency continues to grow as the game goes on.”
Very appreciative of his team’s dominant performance, Hilliard is fairly certain than his 100th career victory was also a 10-0 final. Hilliard was quick to toss props in the direction of assistant coaches EJ Moyer and Tom Nagy.
Malvern's Jalen Wade strikes out GA's Jake Dianno
“They’ve been with me for every win,” said Hilliard, “so it’s all our 200th. I’m just happy we’ve been able to sustain the success we’ve had through the years. If you had told me that we’d hit win number 200 early in our eighth season together, I’d have said that you must be expecting us to have some really good years.”
About 24 hours later, win number 201 was worth mentioning, too. Down 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth against non-league foe Springfield Delco, Muntz blasted a three-run bomb to put the Friars ahead for good.
“It was pretty awesome,” said Muntz said of his round tripper. “I’m glad I could help contribute. I wasn’t trying to do much besides hit the ball hard, because I was in a bad hitter’s count and luckily got something to elevate.”
Germantown Academy vs. Malvern Prep (23 PSD Photos)
(John Knebels can be reached at jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)