Owen J. Roberts tops Henderson to send Warriors into playbacks
BUCKTOWN - The Owen J. Roberts baseball team accomplished two important things Friday afternoon in the District 1 6A quarterfinals against West Chester Henderson. The host Wildcats defeated the 18th-seeded Warriors, 4-1, which moved Owen J. into next Tuesday's District 1 semifinal round against Pennridge.
The win also qualified the Wildcats for the PIAA 6A playoffs for the fifth time in school history. The loss sends Henderson into Tuesday's playback round against Downingtown West with a chance to qualify for the PIAA 6A playoffs with a win.
The seventh-seeded Wildcats (20-4 overall) received a superlative six inning starting pitching performance from senior Adam Stahl, who limited Henderson to just four hits while striking out eight batters. Stahl also got a big two-run single at the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Wildcats a three run cushion.
"My two-seam fastball was really good for me today," Stahl said. "The slider was also working well and I was able to throw it for strikes. On my single in the fifth inning I hit some sort of off-speed pitch, I saw it well and got a good piece of it.
"It's a great feeling to qualify for states and move on with the possibility of winning a district championship. It is a very satisfying win today."
The Wildcats struck for two runs in the bottom of the first inning against Warriors' (14-9) left-hander Anthony Barthol. Matt Smola led off the inning by drawing a walk. Tyler Nau laid down a perfect bunt that went for a base hit, putting men on first and second with no one out.
Stahl then put a bunt down, but Barthol made a great play to cut down the runner at third base and it left Owen J. with men on first and second with one out. Owen Waltimyer loaded the bases with an infield hit and then sophomore Nolan Fisher ripped a hard two-run single, and the Wildcats had a 2-0 lead.
"I hit a fastball that was up and out over the plate a little," Fisher said. "It was good to get some early runs and give Adam a cushion on the mound."
Stahl was flawless through the first three innings but the Warriors broke through in the top of the fourth inning. The inning started with Jack Walsh striking out. Gabe Reinhiemer followed with a single to give Henderson some life.
Reinhiemer moved to second base on a hard ground ball out by Gage Wilding, leaving the Warriors with a man on second and two out. Rodger Murphy hit a hopper to third base that the Wildcats third baseman threw wildly to first base, allowing Reinhiemer to score and suddenly it was 2-1. Stahl ended the inning by getting Alex Cortes to ground out.
Owen J. increased its margin in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gavin Winnick led off by getting hit with a Barthol pitch. Anthony Murray moved the runner to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Smola reached first on another bunt but Winnick was cut down going to third on the bunt for the second out of the inning.
Nau followed with a ringing double to right center field and set up Stahl for the big hit, a loud two-run single to center field, scoring both base runners to give the Wildcats a 4-1 lead.
"Adam just does it all for us," Wildcats' coach Alex Condello said. "He was hurt early in the season but since he has come back he has been fantastic. Today, he pitched a great game and got the big hit when we needed to put up some runs. He is also a true senior leader on this team."
With runners on first and second with one out, up stepped Murphy, who took the first pitch for a ball. But Wildcats' catcher Fisher threw behind Ryan Simpson at first base, who had come in to run for Wilding. The ball beat Simpson back to the bag and he was called out for the second out of the inning. Murphy walked but Cortes grounded out to end the threat and the Wildcats still led 4-1.
"I like to throw behind runners and our coaches told us they like to get away from the bag so me and our first baseman (Lucas Cambell), talked about trying it if we got the chance. We took a shot and it worked." Fisher said.
Stahl left the game in the top of the seventh inning after issuing a lead-off walk to Sam Prior. Waltimyer came in to pitch and he retired the next three Warriors in order, and it was Owen J. that was moving on, with the Warriors headed to the playback round. Stahl struck out the top three Henderson hitters in the batting order a combined seven times in the game.
"We just did not execute well enough in the field, at the plate or on the base paths today and you cannot win like that," said Henderson coach Luke McNichol.
Owen J. Roberts 4, West Chester Henderson 1
W.C. Henderson 000 100 0 – 1
Owen J. Roberts 200 020 x – 4
WP - Stahl. LP - Barthol.
2B – Nau.
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