Game-ending double play lifts Plymouth Whitemarsh over Norristown

WHITEMARSH >> Norristown was losing by one and had the bases loaded with one out and the top of its lineup coming up in the top of the seventh inning. At the very least, it looked like the Eagles were going to make Plymouth Whitemarsh bat in the bottom of the frame.

Norristown’s Tyler Pastella had already hit the ball hard three times in the game – two singles and a line drive back to the pitcher that was caught. He hit this one hard, too, but, again, it was caught.

PW shortstop Matt Disisto grabbed the liner and flipped to Adam McKinlay at second base for the double play to end the game, giving the Colonials a 5-4 Suburban One League American Conference win Thursday afternoon at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.

“Exciting ending,” PW coach Chris Manero said. “Matt (Disisto) just got called up today. Our starting shortstop got hurt yesterday in practice. It’s really his first varsity start, first varsity game at shortstop. He had his first varsity hit today and he made the great play to end the game.”

McKinlay was not only in position to complete the game-ending double play, but he did a lot on the offensive end to help Plymouth Whitemarsh come out on top. In just his second game batting in the leadoff spot this season, McKinlay went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

“I moved up in the lineup and I felt really confident,” McKinlay said. “Got a few hits today, so I feel good with myself right now.

“I’m trying to make sure I get hits, but at the same time make sure the other guys see some pitches. Making sure I get on and start the inning like I should.”

“Tuesday was (McKinlay’s) first time leading off,” Manero said. “He started slow offensively and actually wasn’t playing a lot the first couple games of the season. I always tell our guys to be patient and we had to make some adjustments. We moved him over to third and he was really playing a nice third base. Then we had to get him into the lineup. Slowly but surely the last few games he’s been starting to hit and we’ve sort of been struggling to find a leadoff hitter. It looks like we found one. The last week or so he’s really been playing well.”

The Eagles had plenty of chances to tie the game after cutting their deficit to one in the top of the fourth inning.

PW starting pitcher Matt Cooper tallied a much-needed strikeout with the bases loaded to end the fourth and reliever John Pecharo got out of a second and third, one-out jam in the top of the sixth by forcing a pop up and getting a strikeout before leaving the tying run 90 feet away in the seventh.

“We made tons of errors today – and bad ones,” Manero said. “Our pitchers really had to bear down. Those last two innings, John (Pecharo) is sort of our late-innings guy. He got himself into those jams, but he found his way out.”

The one Noristown batter who did get hits with runners in scoring position was Tommy Detwiler, who has been doing it all season. Detwiler, who was the designated hitter against PW, went 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. He entered the game hitting 1.000 with runners in scoring position and kept it there with three more hits.

“(Detwiler) came into today hitting around .500,” Norristown coach Rich Campbell said. “That’s probably up around .600 now. He’s been on fire.”