(cover photo of Cole Sanford via Dylan Johnson/DBN)
CHICHESTER, PA — It was going to take everybody in the dugout to help Chichester take down perennial District 1 power Strath Haven in the second round of the PIAA District 1 5A playoffs, and that’s exactly what they got.
#1 Chichester wins their first postseason game since 2019 as they take down the 2021 and 2023 district champion #9 Strath Haven Panthers by a 6-2 final to punch their ticket to the semifinal round. They will host #4 Upper Dublin on Friday with #2 Radnor and #11 Hatboro-Horsham on the other side of the bracket.
Chichester got a gutsy performance from starter Gavin Derrickson, who got himself into trouble at times but worked himself out of that trouble as well, allowing two runs over five innings with four hits and two strikeouts.
Strath Haven loaded the bases up in each of the first two innings but only managed to score one run total. They had ducks on the pond with one out in the first but saw a strikeout and a groundout, and had them loaded with no outs in the second.
The only run they got in that second inning came on a Ben Milligan ground ball with the out being recorded at third as Eli Price grounded into a double play the next at bat. That would come back to haunt the Panthers who had plenty of chances.
Strath Haven starter Jasper Hals was cruising through the first three innings until he got into some trouble in the fourth. Back-to-back singles from Logan Werley and Evan Valentine set the stage for Derrickson, who helped himself out with a base hit to left field to tie the game up at 1-1.
Similarly to Derrickson, Hals had some magic of his own as he picked up two strikeouts to limit the damage and keep it at a 1-1 game going into the fifth.
The Panthers would respond to that one in the top of the fifth when Ben MIlligan walked, stole second, then came around to score on a two-out double by Alex Selverian. Selverian fouled off five pitches before that, it was an awesome battle.
The two-out hitting was a big theme in this game, and this time it was Chichester who would have some of their own in the bottom of the fifth.
Cole Sanford walked with one out and Zach Murray singled. Alex Kester grounded out, but that groundout moved runners over to second and third. That paid off in a big way when Logan Werley smashed a double down the left field line to completely flip the script, putting the Eagles up 3-2 in the fifth.
After five strong innings from Derrickson, Cole Sanford came onto pitch the sixth for Chichester. It did not start out great as Peter Jensen ripped a single to left and Atticus Bean followed that up with another single.
Sanford then got two outs but walked Ben Milligan, again loading the bases up for Eli Price. Sanford was able to lock in and get Price to ground out to second, ending the threat and keeping the score at 3-2 Chichester.
If the momentum wasn’t fully on Chichester’s side yet, it was about to be.
Derrickson reached on an error and Julian Sparks was hit by a pitch, and then Damian Diaz-Badillo was also hit by a pitch load the bases up with no outs.
This time it was Matt Johanson who delivered with an infield single to move everyone up 90 feet and put Chichester up 4-2. Cole Sanford decided he wanted more than two insurance runs on the mound so he delivered the big blow, a two-run double down the left field line to blow this game open and put the Eagles ahead 6-2.
They failed to capitalize any more in the seventh inning, but they now had a four-run lead to work with and three outs to go.
Strath Haven got a leadoff baserunner when Luke D’Ancona reached on an error and Alex Selverian had his second hit of the day when he singled to right field to get some life in the Haven dugout.
That life was drained away rather quickly when Quinn Kell struck out swinging, Atticus Bean flew out to right, and Caden Shuster ripped a line drive directly at right fielder to Matt Johanson to wrap up a massive win for Chichester.
It’s hard to put into words what this win means for Chichester.
They are the end of many jokes that are out of their control because the Del Val is not typically a strong baseball conference and they earn a top seed many times and do not have deep playoff runs. This win shows these guys that they belong and that they deserve to be here.
Chichester will get a well-deserved day off before they take on Upper Dublin, who beat West Chester Rustin 3-2 on a walk-off walk earlier this afternoon.
As for Strath Haven, this is the earliest their playoff run has come to an end since 2019. They will have to replace three of their top arms in the rotation with Boston College recruit Luke D’Ancona, Rob Mattai and Caden Shuster all graduating.
Knowing the Panthers, they’ll find a way back. But it wasn’t their day today.
It’s Chichester’s time.