Boyertown keeps state playoff hopes alive with 10-0 rout of Rustin

BOYERTOWN — Win or go home.

That was the Bears’ mentality heading into their District 1-AAAA playback game against West Chester Rustin on Tuesday afternoon at Bear Stadium.

“We weren’t ready for the season to end,” said Boyertown third baseman Mitch Pinder. “Our main goal all season was to make it to states. Now we have our eyes completely set on it.”

Boyertown moved another step closer to its second straight state playoff berth with a 10-0 rout of Rustin in five innings before the mercy rule came into effect.

With the win, the Bears will face Pennsbury (2-1 winners over Conestoga on Tuesday) on Thursday at Methacton High School for the final spot in the state playoffs.

Coming off a 14-6 loss to North Penn on Friday afternoon, the Bears knew the entire season was at stake.

“The guys just want to keep playing,” said Boyertown head coach Todd Moyer. “This is what we’ve worked for in the offseason — to be around this time of the year. We want to keep it going.

“Last year, we played in the district final. The year before, we won the PAC-10 championship. Right now this team has no title, so we want to get into states and see if we can make something happen.”

The Boyertown offense totaled 13 hits Tuesday, leading to four runs in the bottom of the second, followed by five runs in the bottom of the third and a lone tally in the fourth.

Second baseman Seth Endy finished 3-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.

“I was just trying to jump on his fastball early in the count,” said Endy. “He had some good off-speed, so I went up there looking to get something I could drive.”

Right fielder Dalton Hughes (RBI), Pinder (two runs scored), and first baseman Ben Longacre (double, RBI, run scored) each had two hits in the win while center fielder Austin Madeja had three RBI and left fielder Ryan Jacobs scored three runs.

“We knew what was on the line coming in, and now we get to live to see another day,” said Madeja. “Once we got the runs across in the second inning, we knew we could keep pouring it on.”

Andrew Bauer took home the win on the mound, as he threw three innings allowing no runs on just three hits, no walks and three strikeouts. Zach Moser took over in the fourth, where he yielded only one hit in two innings.

Rustin starter Tommy Cantenacci lasted just two innings where he let up six runs (four earned) on eight hits and no strike outs. Owen Hovick went the rest of the way, allowing four runs on five hits and a walk.

Bauer and Moser scattered just four hits to the Golden Knights as shortstop Andrew Coleman ripped a double in the top of the first while Perry Cozzone, Matt Coates and Chris McMahon each had a single.

With the win, the Bears are already looking toward their fifth place game with Pennsbury.

“We’ve been talking about it all year — we can play with anybody if we play solid defense,” said Moyer. “When we don’t play well in the field, we struggle. Thursday, it’s the same thing. Hopefully we can put another solid defensive performance together and take it from there.”

“Right now, there is only one team standing between us and getting (into states),” said Pinder. “We need to bring the same mentality and play just as well as we did today. We just want to keep the momentum on our side.”

NOTES — Bauer improved to 7-0 on the season. … Pinder led off three straight innings after his team batted around two innings in a row. … Moser delivered an RBI double in the bottom of the third. …Boyertown’s offense had only one strikeout at the plate and made no errors in the field. … Boyertown has not lost two-straight games this season.