Pennsbury, Pennridge & Neshaminy advanced to Tuesday’s District 1 6A semifinals. Pennsbury/Garnet Valley photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson & Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos. CLICK HERE to go directly to Suburban One Sports' BASEBALL GALLERIES.
District 1 6A quarterfinals
#4 Pennsbury 7, #12 Garnet Valley 1
Garnet Valley had an unenviable task Friday.
The 12th seeded Jaguars made the trek to Fairless Hills and completed their suspended second round game against #5 Spring-Ford, sending the Rams home with a 4-2 win. They then took the field at noon to face a red-hot Falcon squad.
Things didn’t turn out well for the Jaguars, who allowed a pair of unearned runs in the first and never could figure out the mystery of starter Quenton Shaffer, who notched the complete game win in a superb outing.
Shaffer faced the minimum numbers of batters through three innings, and in the bottom of the third, the Falcons added to their lead with a pair of runs to go on top 4-0. Carlton Crane drew a leadoff walk, Pierce Perry doubled, and both scored when Brendan Zuckerman delivered a two-run single.
Finn Burke led off the fourth inning with a triple and later scored on a sac fly by Perry. Lee’s RBI single later in that inning gave the Falcons a 6-0 advantage.
“I always say a five-run lead is typically safe, and you start to feel good,” Pesci said. “A two-run lead is so fleeting, but I think just setting the tone is that we’re going to score early, we’re going to score often.”
The Falcons led 7-0 before the Jaguars scored a single run in the sixth.
Lee’s three-hit game led the Falcons.
Shaffer allowed just three hits and did not walk a batter while striking out six in the complete game win.
By the numbers: Pennsbury: Tyler Lee (3-or-4, 2B, 2RBIs), Finn Burke (2-for-3, 3B, 1R), Brendan Zuckerman (2 RBIs), Carlton Crane (0-for-1, 2R, 3BB)
Quinton Shaffer (W) (7.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 6K)
Key inning: Bottom of first – After Quenton Shaffer threw a 1-2-3 top of the first, the Falcons put two runs on the board in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Pierce Perry reached first on an error. After a groundout for the inning’s second out, Tyler Lee stepped to the plate and lined an RBI double to left field. Courtesy runner Connor Zuczek entered the game for Lee and stole third. Zuczek scored on an error, and the Falcons led 2-0.
Pennsbury coach Joe Pesci:
--The game: “I really do want to highlight the fact that our kids just know when to compete, and every kid has been – I don’t want to say a hero – but every kids has been a massive contributor, and my line to them is always make an impact somewhere. And like I said, one through nine is making an impact, and again Q giving us a complete game, 77 pitches. He could be available Tuesday. 
We’re not going to throw him, but just the efficiency to show us that we can get a long outing from him was great.
“I think what we did really well today was two-strike hitting and two-out hitting. Carlton Crane – who got on in 10 out of 15 league games to start the game – doesn’t get on (in the first) but (Pierce) Perry puts the ball in play hard. Brendan Zuckerman moves him over, and then just Ty Lee coming up huge there and then a kind of miscue stolen base. We courtesy ran for our catcher (Lee), and there was a ball that scooted away from the catcher, and he ended up throwing the ball away, so it was big for us to get that.”
--Everybody hits: “When you score, you need to shut the team down the next inning, and then if a team scores, you need to answer. The story of our whole season has been – we’ve just hit whenever we want to hit. Carlton Crane played excellent defense. He made two really great plays in the first inning, again setting the tone. And then we score the runs. Those things just take the wind out of teams, for sure.
“In the fourth inning, Finn Burke, who’s my nine hitter, leads off with a triple over the center fielder’s head. I think that’s the scary part of our team is you know it’s going to be Carlton, it’s going to be Perry, it’s going to be Zuck, it’s going to be Tyler, it’s going be Sogness, it’s every single kid in the lineup is a threat right now.
--Shaffer on top of his game: “Q was just fantastic – 77 pitches and six Ks.
He had a couple full counts and then got a K. We ended a couple innings with double plays. He was just so efficient with multiple pitches. He threw his curveball in every count – he threw full count curveballs. He did a really good job of keeping their hitters off balance. The first hit of the game was a broken bat blooper. It literally popped the cap of the bat off, and then we ended up with a double play.”
Up next: Pennsbury will host #8 Neshaminy in Tuesday’s semifinals of the District 1 6A Tournament.
Garnet Valley 000 001 0 1-3-2
Pennsbury 202 210 0 7-9-0
#4 Pennridge 4, #6 Downingtown West 1
Pennridge rode the strong arms of Oliver Olson and Connor Murray to a win that vaulted the Rams not only into Tuesday’s District 1 6A semifinal but also punched their ticket to the state tournament.
“Heading into the season, we knew we had a chance to be very good,” Pennridge coach Dan Long said. “I asked the guys to stay present every day whether it was practice or a game, and I think our success so far this season speaks to their buy in.
“These guys worked their tails off, and I couldn’t be more proud of them. We are excited to compete against another good team in Owen J Roberts on Tuesday.”
It’s been a long time since the Rams were in such elite company – 10 years to be exact. In 2016, the Rams captured the District 1 4A title. Three key members of that squad now comprise 3/5 of Pennridge’s coaching staff – head coach Dan Long and assistants Andrew Mayhew and Andrew Fantaskey.
That team also rode the combination of stellar pitching and timely hitting, and in Friday’s win, Olson and Murray combined to allow just five hits and one run.
The Rams managed just three hits, but they were – to say the least – timely. They put a run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Noah Keating led off the inning with a single, Anthony Cox drew a walk and Tommy Ginnetti was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With one out, Tim Croyle drew a bases-loaded walk, and the Rams led 1-0. They added a run in the fourth to take a 2-0 advantage that was cut in half when the Whippets scored a run in the top of the fifth.
Pennridge got a pair of insurance runs in the sixth when Murray smashed a two-run home run that plated Ascher Hamburg, who had walked
By the numbers: Pennridge: Connor Murray (1-for-3, HR, 2RBIs, 1R), Tim Croyle (1RBI)
Oliver Olson (W) (4.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 4K) Connor Murray (S) (3.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 5K)
Key inning: Bottom of fourth – The Rams took a 1-0 lead into the fourth inning. Ascher Hamburg led off the inning with a single, and Connor Murray and Nick Calabretti drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Hamburg scored on a double play to give the Rams a 2-1 lead. It’s a run that stood as the game-winner.
Pennridge coach Dan Long:
--Props: “We got really good pitching from Oliver Olson and Connor Murray. Our pitching staff as a whole has been tremendous all year.
“We had a lot of traffic on the bases offensively but didn’t have much to show for it. Connor Murray had the swing of the day in the sixth inning to give us some breathing room.”
Up next: Pennridge will host #7 Owen J Roberts in a District 1 6A semifinal contest. OJR defeated #18 West Chester Henderson 4-1 in Friday’s quarterfinal.
Downingtown West 000 010 0 1-5-1
Pennridge 001 102 x 4-3-1
#8 Neshaminy 2, #1 Haverford 0
Matt Gryn turned in a stellar outing on the mound, scattering six hits in 6 1/3 shutout innings. He was lifted when he reached his allowed pitch count with one on and one out in the seventh. Jared Kligerman retired the only two batters he faced, picking up a strikeout for the game’s final out.
The win sends the top-ranked Fords – who were 16-0 and the Central League champions – into the playback round while the Redskins advance to Tuesday’s District 1 6A semifinals where they will meet a familiar foe – archrival Pennsbury.
Neshaminy scored the game’s only runs in the top of the fifth when Chase Bonner – who has been clutch for the ‘Skins all season – hit a bases-loaded single that plated a pair.
For the Redskins, this is their third trip in as many years to the state tournament, their fifth in seven years and sixth in coach Dan Toner’s nine years at the helm.
Last year, Neshaminy fell to West Chester Henderson in the district semis but then advanced to the state semifinals.
By the numbers: Neshaminy: Chase Bonnor (3-for-4, 2RBIs)
Matt Gryn (W) (6.1 IP, 6H, 0R, 2BB, 6K), Jared Kligerman (S) (0.2 IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K)
Key inning: Top of fifth – Dylan Cloud led off the inning with a single to right, and back-to-back walks to Mike Sassano and Dan Marable loaded the bases for Chase Bonner, who once again delivered – lining a single to right field that plated the game’s only two runs.
Neshaminy coach Dan Toner:
“Matt Gryn was absolutely fantastic. He was in these same scenarios last season, and his experience most definitely took over. He was in control the entire game.
“Jared Kligerman carries the same experience as Matt and Chase in the playoffs. Jared came in to close the game and had the same demeanor as Matt. Our pitching was on point.
“Chase Bonner continued his tour as the top player in the area. Another day of going 3-for-4 and having the winning RBIs.”
Up next: Neshaminy will travel to #4 Pennsbury for a fourth meeting with the Falcons, who won the regular season series 2-1.
Neshaminy 000 020 0 2-6-1
Haverford 000 000 0 0-6-1
District 1 Class 5A second round
#7 Springfield-Delco 7, #2 Upper Moreland 0
The Golden Bears fell behind early against a Cougar squad that led 7-0 after three innings. They never could find their offensive stride and suffered the disappointing season-ending loss.
Upper Moreland coach Jim Fasano:
“We had a great regular season, unfortunately, it didn’t carry over into the playoffs, but tons of respect to Springfield, and I hope they win the district and state. Their coaches and players seem like class acts.
“We don’t get to choose how our season ends, and for all but a handful of teams, it ends with disappointment. But I am forever grateful to our seniors, such a tremendous group of young men.
“Hopefully the boys are a little better as people and players for having played under our coaching staff, and I hope too that we gave them a great high school baseball experience. On to bigger and better things for those fellas.”
Upper Moreland closed out its season with the SOL Freedom Division title (13-2) and an overall record of 16-3.
Springfield-Delco 241 000 0 7-9-1
Upper Moreland 000 000 0 0-5-1
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