(cover photo of Jack Maholick via Gabe Encarnacion)
WEST CHESTER, PA – The Marple Newtown Tigers are traveling eleven miles west to take on the West Chester Rustin Golden Knights as they look to defend their 5A District 1 title from last year.
Last year, the Tigers entered the tournament as the eight seed. After their round one win versus Phoenixville, they continued their run by beating three Delco teams in a row. First, they beat Chichester, then Strath Haven, and finally, Radnor in the championship.
Rustin, however, did not qualify for the tournament last year. Their last appearance was in 2023, where they beat Hatboro-Horsham and Chichester in the first two rounds before falling to Strath Haven, the eventual champions, in the semifinals.
Every Monday this year, Marple Newtown has sent out Kevin Wigo to pitch. The sophomore is coming off a strong outing against Strath Haven, throwing seven innings and only allowing one run. The state tournament will be a big step-up from the Central League for the young arm, and it is exciting to see.
As well, do not be surprised if you see senior and Catholic University commit Jack Maholick enter the game on the mound. Although he has thrown during the middle of the week mostly this season, the Tigers are going to need strong and poised veterans to perform during high-pressure situations.
Expect the Golden Knights to give the rock to junior AJ Calio. The Vanderbilt commit was up to 92 mph in his outing against Bishop Shanahan a few weeks ago. Along with the powerful fastball, Calio wields a slider and a change-up, both sitting in the low 80s.
Oh, and he also has eight homers at the plate as well.
Two notables in the Rustin lineup aside Calio are junior shortstop Jackson Roche and senior designated hitter David McClain. McClain is committed to play at the revitalized La Salle University baseball program, and Roche is currently uncommitted.
The game plan for Marple Newtown is clear: get AJ Calio out of the game. If the Tigers are able to work counts and force the future Commodore to throw a lot of pitches, they could see the bullpen earlier than the Golden Knights hope.
While Marple Newtown lost a lot of that core that won them the title last year, they still have a ton of guys with experience and know how to win. Don’t let the 6-10 record fool you, this is a tough draw for Rustin for the 12 seed.
The game will be played at 4 PM at West Chester Bayard Rustin High School. It will undoubtedly be a fun one.