(cover photo of Conestoga’s Anthony Greco and Landon Jones courtesy of Shelby Kauffman/Delco Baseball Now)

BERWYN, PA — After a fantastic freshman season where he hit .320 in 50 at bats, 2025 has not been quite as kind to Landon Jones. None of that mattered in the sixth inning of our game of the week, though.

The Conestoga catcher was able to put all of that behind him as he stroked a two-out RBI single into left field to score Brendan Soura and break a 2-2 tie to give Conestoga the 3-2 lead that they would eventually hang on to seal.

Henry Fuerst started the game on the mound for Conestoga with Justin Heck getting the ball for Lower Merion, a little lefty on lefty matchup. That last sentence said started, but both pitchers also finished the game on the mound for their respective teams as well.

It was Lower Merion who would draw first blood in this game, however.

In the top of the second, Charlie Parsons was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Calvin Rendle laid down a bunt that Henry Fuerst fielded cleanly, but then fired into the outfield and everyone was safe.

Toby Myers then had a productive groundout as he moved the runners over, but Leo Ufberg flew out for the second out of the inning.

That put the pressure on the nine-hitter Matt Hartstein and he delivered, swinging at the first pitch and sending a two-run single into left field to put the Aces up 2-0 on the road.

Conestoga did threaten in their half of the second with a single from Brendan Soura and a walk from Kurt Tharnish, but Justin Heck got lineouts from Landon Jones and Josh Lee to get out of the inning unharmed.

The next true opportunity for either team came in the bottom of the fourth when Conestoga’s Luke Hunter led off the inning with a single and then with two outs Tharnish was hit by a pitch. Heck again was able to make a big pitch, getting Jones to strikeout to end the inning.

The fifth inning is where the Pioneers would finally break through.

Josh Lee led off with a walk and James Quici followed that up with a single. Instead of laying down a sac bunt like many would, Conestoga first year Head Coach Anthony Greco got aggressive and called a double steal and it worked to perfection, putting runners on second and third with no outs.

Cooper Evers then did his job, hitting a fly ball into left field to drive in Lee and bring Quici into third. That made the job just as easy for Chase Cherny, who did the same exact thing to right field to make this a 2-2 game just like that.

Lower Merion looked like they were in a great position to get that run back in the sixth when Toby Myers singled with one out and Leo Ufberg followed up with another single. Henry Fuerst was able to lock in and get a strikeout looking and a ground out to keep the game tied at 2-2.

A one-out walk in the bottom of the sixth put the go-ahead run on base for the Pioneers when Brendan Soura worked a great eight-pitch at bat and stole second on the first pitch of the following at bat. Justin Heck picked up a strikeout of Kurt Tharnish to bring up Landon Jones, who could erase a few weeks of frustration with one swing of the bat.

He didn’t waste any time.

Jones ripped the first pitch into left field for a base hit, scoring Soura from second and putting the Pioneers ahead 3-2. The ball got past Ryan Scholz in left field which honestly worked out for Lower Merion because Soura would have scored anyway and the Aces were able to get Jones out trying to get to third to end the inning.

Henry Fuerst still had some pitches to work with in the seventh and retired Gus Wright on a groundout to start the inning, but a Brody Slensky double down the left field line made things very tense in both dugouts. After Fuerst got Nicholas Dragut to strike out, Charlie Parsons was the last man standing.

On a 1-2 pitch, Fuerst got Parsons to ground one in between shortstop and third base where Chase Cherny took control at third base and fired over to first just in time, giving Conestoga a win that will MASSIVELY boost their playoff odds.

This was easily our best game of the week so far in terms of drama, weather, internet service, you name it. All it took was going to a Chester County team to watch them take on a Montgomery County team.

Go figure.

The Pioneers improve to 7-5 in the Central League and will be right back to work tomorrow against Ridley (5-7) at Ridley.

As for Lower Merion, they are still in a great spot at 8-4 in the Central League and will likely be heading to the playoffs regardless, but really just need one more win to lock in a spot. That’s going to be a tall task tomorrow as they head to take on 12-0 Haverford on the road.