2018 Inter-Ac Round-Up (Week 5/18)
INTER-AC BASEBALL – Just because a team has no chance to win an Inter-Academic League championship, or just because one has already captured a title, there still remains plenty of incentive to play passionate, fundamentally sound baseball.
After all, the annual Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) tournament is scheduled to begin on May 22, and all six Inter-Ac schools participate.
The final afternoon of Inter-Ac play on May 11 thus served as a tune-up for the prestigious post-season affair.
Having already clinched the Inter-Ac three days earlier, Malvern Prep avoided any letdown by edging Penn Charter, 3-2, in eight innings. The Friars concluded the league portion of their schedule with an 8-2 record and a seven-game victory streak. They were also the only team in the league to finish with a winning record.
Freshman Lonnie White, who slugged a two-run homer and scored the dramatic winning from first base on two overthrows in the Friars’ eight inning, 4-3 title decider over Springside-Chestnut Hill, lifted a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth that scored junior Sam Schutz (pinch running for senior Brady Devereux, who had doubled).
Senior pitcher Billy Corcoran sheared the Quakers in the eighth and finished with a complete game, allowing only six hits and one earned run while striking out nine.
Malvern Prep vs. Springside Chestnut Hill Highlight Video - by John Knebels
“I think we came out a little slow,” said Corcoran, who last summer had tossed a career-high nine innings in a West Chester men’s league. “When it’s a close game in the later innings with a really good team, I think everyone knew that we had to get up for it.”
Senior Connor Dillon remembered how Penn Charter had defeated the Friars twice last year by identical 1-0 scores. Earlier this year, Malvern defeated the Quakers, 3-1.
“We stayed motivated because of what had happened at that field in the past,” said senior Dillon. “We all wanted revenge and to send them a message for future games, whether it be in the state tournament or the team playing them next year.”
Junior Grant Burgess agreed.
“Winning the league by three games is what we sought out to do and we wanted to show the league we are back and here to stay,” said Burgess. “When we were 1 and 2 in the league to start, we told ourselves to take it one game at a time and go 1 and 0, and today we looked to continue that.
“The last two years we were at Penn Charter, we lost and didn’t score a run, so we wanted a little revenge as well. And 8-2 in the league sounds a whole lot better than 7-3.”
Malvern Prep vs. SCHA - Photos by Zamani Feelings
Malvern Prep vs. SCHA - Photos by Zamani Feelings
Senior Ryan Dillon was thinking along similar lines.
“After going 1-2 in the first three league games, our goal was to run the table in the league,” he said. “Even though we had the outright title locked up, we knew the job wasn’t done.”
Devereux admitted to a brief pre-game case of lethargy.
“It was definitely hard, but we said 8-2 looks a lot better than 7-3 and we didn’t want to finish the league with a loss before PAISAA,” said Devereux. “Before the game we talked with (coach Freddy Hilliard) and we talked as a team and got our minds right and how we wanted to approach it.”
Episcopal Academy’s mercurial spring continued with a 5-2 triumph over Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy. The Churchmen won their first two, dropped the next seven, and snared the final three to finish 5-5 along with SCH and Penn Charter. Therefore, EA went 1-1 against each of its foes.
Junior Jack O’Reilly fired another beauty with no earned runs allowed.
“It was great to finish off the league season strong with a win on senior day,” said O’Reilly. “The most important thing now is that we capitalize on the momentum we’ve built going into the independent schools tournament.”
EA’s offense included a run-scoring single by O’Reilly and a home run by senior Isaiah Payton, who pitched a clean seventh for the save.
EA vs. PC Highlights by Zamani Feelings
“I was just looking for a pitch to drive and I got my pitch and put a good swing on it,” said Payton. “For the save, I just looked to hit my spots and let my team make the plays in the field. It was a true team win.”
A week earlier, Episcopal severed its five-game skid with a 2-0 win over Haverford School. After senior Will Park walloped a two-run homer in the top of the first to score O’Reilly (two-out walk) ahead of him, O’Reilly completely shut the door. He limited the Fords to only four hits through six innings before giving way to Payton for a one-inning save.
Haverford sophomore Pat Toal took the hard-luck loss after surrendering only two hits and one walk and whiffing seven through seven innings, during which he threw 63 of 92 pitches for strikes. Toal also had two of Haverford School’s four hits.
EA vs. HAV - Photos by EA Jr. Reporter Alexandra Conroy
EA vs. HAV -Photos by Alexandra Conroy
“I was just doing a good job of throwing a lot of fastballs for strikes and pitching to contact and letting our defense make plays,” said O’Reilly. “My changeup felt really good to get some role overs and swings and misses as well.”
Haverford School finished the regular season with a 5-4 win over Germantown Academy. Senior Nick Holtz (2-for-3, two RBI) contributed a one-out, bases-loaded, walk-off single to left field that scored senior Justin Meyer in the seventh.
“Our coaches have preached all year to put the bat on the ball with two strikes and I did just that,” said Holtz. “Considering it was my final Inter-Ac game, I wanted to end the season on a high note for myself, my coaches, and my teammates.”
Holtz insisted he wasn’t nervous while standing in the spotlight.
“I was not,” said Holtz. “I just try to have fun.”
For Germantown Academy, junior Colten Smith struck out eight and gave up two hits and two earned runs in five innings. Senior Jack Sullivan’s home run was part of a four-run sixth inning that gave the Patriots a 4-1 lead, but Haverford School answered with three of their own in the bottom half, tying the game on junior Sean Clark’s two-run homer. Junior Alex Andrews added a pair of hits.
Toal allowed only one earned run in 5 2/3 innings. Meyer struck out two in the seventh to notch the pitching decision.
GA vs. PC - Photos by Zamani Feelings
GA vs. PC - Photos by Zamani Feelings
“It was a gut check for us,” said Toal. “We knew we were getting their best pitcher and we wanted to use the game as a way to get back into a groove before the tournament.”
Toal sidestepped individual accolades about his recent pitching prowess.
“My main focus has been throwing strikes and doing whatever I need to do to help the team win,” he said.
Fords’ coach Bob Castell complimented his opponent, his entire team, and especially his upperclassmen.
“It’s always a challenge to get a win against a pitcher like Colten Smith, who was throwing very well,” said Castell. “We've been in some tight games but haven't been able to close the deal, so to send these five seniors out with a win in their last Inter-Ac game was terrific. All of the healthy seniors played an important role in the victory today.”
Haverford School Seniors (L to R) Tommy Bagnell, Justin Meyer, Nick Holtz, Isaiah Winikur & Grady Nance - Photo courtesy of Fords Baseball
The PAISAA tournament begins on May 22, when six first-round games begin at 4:00 and take place at the higher seed’s home field. Defending champion Malvern Prep is the top seed and, along with two-seed Mercersburg, received a first-round bye.
Other Inter-Ac teams include four-seed Penn Charter hosting 13-seed Germantown Friends; five-seed Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy hosting 12-seed Hill School; six-seed Episcopal Academy hosting 11-seed Westtown School; eight-seed Haverford School hosting nine-seed Friends Central (with the winner to take on Malvern Prep); and 10-seed Germantown Academy visiting seven-seed Perkiomen School.
The quarterfinals take place on May 24 at the higher seed’s home field. The semifinals are scheduled for 4 PM on May 26. One game is at Perkiomen School and another at nearby Upper Perkiomen. The winners then meet for the PAISAA championship 7 PM at Perkiomen School.
Final Inter-Academic League Standings
8-2 Malvern Prep
5-5 Springside-Chestnut Hill
5-5 Episcopal Academy
5-5 Penn Charter
4-6 Haverford School
3-7 Germantown Academy
(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)