Miller’s effort in District 1-AAA semis ends successful era at Upper Merion
HAVERFORD >> For Bishop Shanahan pitcher Devon Miller, it was a matter of time.
While the Eagles started their season very slow, losing their first eight games, they did so with a young team loaded with freshmen, including Miller. So, with time to learn how to play with each other, they’ve gotten stronger as a team.
Now they’re going to the state playoffs.
No. 11 Shanhan knocked off No. 2 Upper Merion, 10-0, in six innings at Haverford Reserve Tuesday afternoon, continuing an unexpected playoff run while bringing an end to the storied careers of the Vikings’ dedicated group of seniors. Miller delivered in the circle, holding Upper Merion to four hits and striking out eight, and at the plate, hitting a three-run double in the fifth to blow the game open.
“You have to take it one inning at a time as opposed to looking at the whole game and saying I’m not going to let them hit,” the freshman pitcher said. “If you get the first out of the inning, it gives you the confidence to get through the rest of the inning.”
The Vikings started seven of its eight seniors but they didn’t look like themselves in the top half of the first inning. A single dropped between three players, none calling for the ball, and error plated a run and Shanahan led 3-0 before UM could stop the damage.
UM coach John Whitney said that inning was what hurt his team most because it got behind and allowed Miller to attack more aggressively. Whitney gave credit to Miller, saying she was able to get his batters to chase high, causing a lot of pop-ups but also noted his kids hit a couple of hard balls right to fielders that stymied some potential rallies.
“You can’t give runs away, we did and it makes for a long day,” Whitney said. “(Shanahan) made the plays when they had to. We popped up a lot of balls, we knew what (Miller) could throw and she’s a very good pitcher.”
Shanahan added a run in the fourth inning on an RBI by Marley Weston then an inning later loaded up the bases with two outs and Miller coming to the plate. The freshman got a good offering with a 2-1 count and sent it soaring to straightaway center to leave her alone at second base.
“I was nervous coming up to bat, especially with two outs,” Miller said. “I think once we got those three runs in, it really just locked the game up for us.”
The Eagles pushed their lead to 10-0 in the sixth with two RBI doubles and a sac fly from Katy Newtown, though Upper Merion senior first baseman Dezerea Kandy was able to alertly turn a double play to end the inning there.
However, the Vikings couldn’t do anything offensively after senior outfielder Abby Volpe led off with a single. With the loss, the program ended an era that saw its seniors win four straight SOL American titles and as such, things will much different next year as the Vikings move to the Pioneer Athletic Conference with a nearly brand-new lineup.
Aside from Kandy, Volpe, the Vikings see seniors Olivia Sborlini, Micaela Ghanayem, Allie Moffett, Nicole Kowalski, Bridget Valeri and Riley Kontra depart.
“They love to play the game, they stick with it and always kept grinding it out,” Whitney said. “They just bring it. They made coaching easy for me and held each other accountable. I love these kids and I’m going to miss coaching them. I told the younger kids these older kids left a legacy and we’re going to have to pick it up.”
