Josh Kim sparks Council Rock South baseball’s shutout win at Truman
BRISTOL TWP. – Just a day before, Council Rock South was the team making a bunch of mistakes in the field, leading to a loss at home against Suburban One Continental Conference rival CB East. The Hawks also walked nine batters, helping the visiting Patriots to a 7-5 victory.
Tuesday afternoon, April 26 at Truman, Rock South (4-5, 2-4: SOL) didn’t make any errors in the field and walked only one opposing hitter and won going away, 6-0.
“We had a slow start this year,” admitted Golden Hawks head coach Ted Kirner. “But there’s a reason why the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror.
“All we’re doing right now is looking ahead.”
In this game, the Tigers (3-9, 1-7: SOL) made the mistakes – three was the number in the boxscore, though really, there were more than that. While Truman managed just four hits, all of which were singles, two of those baserunners were erased trying to steal second base.
“We can’t afford to run into outs like that,” stated Tigers head coach Tim Monoghan. “We’re not swinging the bats well enough to make up for those kinds of mistakes on the basepaths.”
Truman topped CR South 5-2 in the first pairing between the sides this season.
“Traditionally we’ve had a lot a success against them, added Monoghan. “We usually give them a good fight. But for whatever reason, we just didn’t seem like we had a lot of fight in us today.
While Truman never really got going in this one, the Hawks jumped on Tigers starter Brian Aicher from the first pitch – literally. South leadoff hitter Josh Kim (3-for-4, 2 runs scored) crushed the very first offering from Aicher into the gap in right-centerfield.
Hawks first baseman Ryan Vetter slapped a ground ball to short and just like that, it was 1-0, favor: South. Meanwhile, Hawks starter Zach Mayer faced just 18 batters in five innings of work.
“As soon as your team scores early runs in the first or second inning, it just gives you 10 times as much confidence on the mound,” said Mayer. “Even if you give up a few runs, they’re behind you and they’re still there the next inning to score a bunch more.”
For his part, Mayer, a junior lefthander, made the lone run stand, pitching five scoreless innings, while limiting the Tigers to just four hits. Those two runners he plucked from the basepaths were due primarily to a deceptive pickoff move possessed by the junior righthander.
“It’s borderline a balk; some umps might say it IS a balk and they might tell me to stop,” said Mayer.
“But I feel the runners get completely confused by it.
“No matter how close it is to a balk, it will get them every time.”
Offensively, CR South packed it in, pushing its lead to 2-0 in the third inning when Kim – on base on a one-out double – scored for a second time on a stolen base and an ensuing errant pickoff throw at third base.
While the Hawks scored again on a two-out double by Nick Gallo and an RBI single by second baseman Trey Obarowski, this was a 3-0 game until South opened things up with three runs in the sixth inning.
That’s when outfielders Cody Kutler and Shaun Stackhouse reached respectively on a single and a walk. Aicher retired Evan Fisher on a grounder back to the mound but designated hitter Nick Gallo slapped a 2-run single to center field to push the score to 5-0. An error in the outfield on a ball hit to center by John Crane pushed the score to its final.
Leading the Hawks offensively were Kutler, who was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Kim, who was 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Gallo was 2-for-3, a pair of RBI and a run scored.
“All this year, I’ve been seeing the ball well,” said Kim. “I’m just taking advantage of the mistakes that the pitchers make.”
After South’s 10-8 victory April 21 at Neshaminy, this makes two straight wins for the Hawks against SOL National Conference rivals.
“We had a rough start in the beginning of the year, going 0-4,” said Kim. “But I feel we’re coming together now. Overall, we’re just playing good baseball; we’re playing as a team, finally.
“It feels good.”
Mayer had more than a little to do with this win. He didn’t walk any batters in five innings of work.
“He always throws strikes and he has a great mix of pitches – a fastball, curveball and a changeup,” said Kim, of Mayer. “He always competes up there, he’s an athlete.
“He makes all the plays. Overall, he’s a really good pitcher. I’m really happy to have him in our lineup.”
Coming on in relief of Mayer was classmate Noah Davidson, who pitched two scoreless innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Less than a week earlier, Davidson struck out six batters in 4.2 innings of work in recording the win at Neshaminy.
“He’s really brought it together,” said Kim, of Davidson. “You saw it today; he was firing away.
“He also has a really good mix – very tough to hit. (He’s) another great pitcher to have in the lineup.”
For its part, Truman is smarting trying to find the proper shoes to fill those of departed players Matt Shea, Aaron Wolf, Matt Helbling, Chris Mangold, Matt Walszak and Evan Miller – all starters for the Tigers who graduated in 2015.
“Some of our seniors have been pretty productive and some others are struggling,” admitted Monoghan. “Our younger guys are getting their first exposure to varsity baseball so we’re taking our lumps and we’re experiencing growing pains.”
Truman entered the game coming off a 7-6 victory over SOL American Conference rival Cheltenham. Ahead 5-3, the Tigers surrendered a 3-spot to the visiting Panthers and trailed 6-5 going into the home seventh.
Truman answered with a pair of runs to win it in the bottom of the frame. Catcher Nate Erhard delivered a two-run single for the game winner, plating shortstop Cameron Culver and centerfielder J.D. Matthews for the difference.
Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
Council Rock South 6, Harry S Truman 0
(April 26 at Truman)
CR SOUTH 101 103 0 – 6 9 0
TRUMAN 000 000 0 – 0 4 3
WP — Zach Mayer 5IP, 0R, 4H, 0BB, 3SO, 1HB.
LP — Brian Aicher 6IP, 6R, 8H, 1BB, 3SO, 0HB.
MULTIPLE HITS: CRS — Josh Kim 3-for-4, Cody Kutler 2-for-4, Nick Gallo 2-for-3; HST — none.
EXTRA-BASE HITS: CRS — Kim 2B, 3B, Gallo 2B; HST — none
