MEDIA, PA — Usually scoring in only one out of seven innings is not a good recipe for success. That didn’t matter for Strath Haven in this one.
The Panthers scored all four of their runs in a 4-3 win over Penncrest in the fourth inning, which was just enough to squeak by in the first installment of the Media Bowl (is it still a bowl if it’s baseball or is that just a football thing?)
It was Penncrest who drew first blood in this one in the bottom of the second off of Strath Haven starter Rob Mattai when Asher Wynne reached on an error and Andrew Luber-Solic made the Panthers pay with an RBI double.
That 1-0 score held until the top of the fourth when it was time for the Strath Haven offense to get to work off of Penncrest starter Liam Wray, who was in control until then.
Patrick O’Connor drew a one-out walk, and Will Taylor hit an infield single to put runners on first and second. Luke D’Ancona followed that up with another single to load the bases, and then we had a rare balk call that brought in O’Connor to tie the game up at 1-1.
Penncrest then went to Will O’Donnell in relief, and Matt Caputo welcomed him with a sac fly to give Strath Haven a lead. The Panthers were just getting started as Quinn Kell singled into left field to make it 3-1, and following a Caden Shuster single, Ben Milligan extended that lead to 4-1 with another single.
Penncrest did get a quick response in when Nash Grant lined an RBI triple to score Harry Giles in the bottom of the fourth, but that is all they would get in the frame. Penncrest looked like they were going to tie this game up on an Anthony Rossi base hit in the bottom of the sixth, but Alex Selverian threw a rocket from center field to get Chris Cornick at home to end the threat.
The score remained 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh with Caden Shuster on for his second inning of relief to try and close it out.
Landon Graham made things very interesting with a one-out triple to put the tying run at the plate, and Henry Murphy knocked him in with a single. That called for Strath Haven Head Coach Brian Fili to bring in new reliever Jasper Hals.
Hals walked Harry Giles to put two on with one out. After getting a big strikeout on Cooper Bittle, Hals got a ground ball from Asher Wynne to third base for Quinn Kell, who easily stepped on third to wrap up a nail-biting road win for the Panthers.
Strath Haven improves to 3-1 in the Central League and will welcome in Marple Newtown for a District 1 5A semi-final rematch where Marple won 13-2. Luke D’Ancona for Haven vs Jack Maholick for Marple is a great pitcher’s duel.
As for Penncrest, they fall to 1-3 in the Central League and will have a non-conference game with Shipley on Wednesday before traveling to Ridley (3-2) next Monday.