(featured photo of Zach Murray courtesy of Brendan Baldwin)
PROSPECT PARK, PA — It would have been even cooler if he wasn’t thrown out attempting an inside-the-park home run on the first play of the game, but Cole Sanford still managed to steal the show.
The Chichester leadoff hitter also served as the starting pitcher in this one, going all seven innings allowing just two hits and one unearned run with seven strikeouts in a 7-1 Chichester win over Interboro.
With the win, Chichester likely captured a sixth straight Del Val title as they have won a shocking 57 straight games in the conference dating back to April of 2019.
The score here is a bit misleading because this game was tight for six innings. In fact, the game was scoreless all together through three innings thanks to Sanford and Interboro starter Mike McLaughlin.
The scoring began in the top of the fourth when Zach Murray ripped a triple to lead off the inning. After a strikeout, Trevor Goschler did his job with an RBI groundout to shortstop that allowed Murray to score and make it 1-0 Chichester.
That lead remained 1-0 until the top of the sixth with Cole Sanford in control for the Eagles. Matt Johanson and Sanford drew leadoff walks, but Interboro reliever Tyler Green was able to get a huge 5-3 double play ball to Austin Dean at third base to get two outs with a runner on second.
It looked like it was going to be a rally killer, but Alex Kester wanted no part of that as he belted the third Chichester triple of the day to make it a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles were not content with that 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh inning, and they were ready to ice this game for good.
Following a Logan Werley leadoff walk, Luke Werley singled with one out to put Werley’s on first and second. Julian Sparks then worked a walk to load the bases, then Chichester showed the depth in their order when nine-hole hitter Matt Johanson slapped a two-run single into right field to double that lead and make it 4-0.
Later on in the inning, Zach Murray hit a two-run single to really put the game out of reach, and Kester added another extra base hit with an RBI double to cap the scoring off at 7-0 for Chichester.
Interboro would score a run on an error in the seventh to avoid being shutout, but that’s as close as they would come.
Cole Sanford finished the day with seven innings pitched, two hits, one unearned run, and seven strikeouts to go along with a triple at the plate. Zach Murray and Alex Kester both had two hits and two RBI’s, while Matt Johanson also drove in two runs.
For Interboro, Nick Rivera and Andrew Barbera had the two hits on the day. Mike McLaughlin was very good to start the game with four innings pitched, one earned run, and five strikeouts.
Chichester wins to improve to 5-0 in the Del Val and will be off until next Thursday when they head to Academy Park according to their schedule.
As for Interboro, they fall to 4-2 in the conference and will head to Academy Park next Tuesday.