HAVERTOWN, PA – Fresh off a victory in an extra-innings thriller against Boyertown, the Souderton Indians are taking a trip to Delco to face off against the Haverford High Fords.
After winning their first playoff game since 2009 last year against Pennridge, the Fords are back in the 6A bracket this year as the one seed following a historic season. They are looking to continue their impressive Central League play, where they went 15-1 and were co-champions with Radnor (settle down, Instagram comments), into the playoffs.
Taking the mound for Haverford will likely be junior Jimmy Boyle. The Jefferson commit is the ace of this staff, impressively having averaged double-digit strikeouts in league play this year. Overall he has a 1.50 ERA on the year in 46.2 innings pitched and a staggering 82 strikeouts compared to just 13 walks.
After Boyle, we will likely see senior Gavin McClafferty. McClafferty has thrown well both as a starter and as a reliever with an ERA of 1.58 in 40 innings pitched. Because this game was moved up a day, the Haverford pitchers will have one extra day of rest if they win against Souderton. This additional day would be perfect for Coach Miller to send McClafferty out to close this game if needed, and still be able to start on Friday.
While unclear, Souderton will likely give the rock to senior and Stevenson recruit Tyler Deery. Deery has also made a noticeable impact in the Indians’ lineup as their third baseman.
Haverford will rely on a strong veteran lineup to score runs. Fellow Jefferson commit Ryan Cassidy has been a problem for opposing teams at the leadoff spot, and junior Shane Durkan has provided some pop alongside senior Nick Elvanian.
The only underclassman who lives in the Fords’ starting lineup is Cam McCormack. The No. 11 ranked first baseman in the 2027 class has been mashing baseballs all year, holding a .315 average and a .952 OPS thus far.
Catcher Connor Klock has been a weapon for Souderton both offensively and defensively. Klock had four caught-stealings in two games against CB West, and the senior is committed to NJIT.
Also, look out for centerfielder Charlie Hunsicker. Hunsicker is the Indians’ centerfielder, and he has hit well in the leadoff spot from the left side.
The Fords will be riding on Boyle’s arm in search of a victory. Their offense, while solid, has not been overwhelming for opposing teams. A lot of their wins come in pitchers’ duels rather than slugfests.
This round two game at Haverford at 4 PM will certainly be exciting. The winner will play the winner of the eighth-seed North Penn and the 24th-seed Council Rock South.