C.J. Kilgariff, James Closser make the most of final ride for Council Rock North baseball
FRAZER – Neither played a lick of baseball for Council Rock North the previous season when the Indians claimed a District 1 crown. Then again, neither would trade the experience of playing their final season on North’s varsity baseball diamond for the world, despite the Indians’ loss to Marple Newtown in the PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.
They are pitcher C.J. Kilgariff, who will play baseball at Philadelphia University next year and outfielder James Closser, who will play football this fall at Johns Hopkins.
Kilgariff played his previous two years at sister school South but transferred to North for academic reasons. Closser didn’t play baseball his junior year but elected to play his final season.
“I’m so happy I decided to come back; this has been a great ride,” said Closser, who played linebacker for the Indian defense on the gridiron and spent a large portion of the baseball season as the team’s designated hitter.
“Bonding with these guys has been amazing. I’ve been playing with some of these guys since Little League, some of these coaches since Little League and I’m so happy we had one last ride.
“We came up short but it was one helluva ride.”
That trip included a Suburban One National League trophy, District 1 playoff wins over Springfield, Upper Dublin and Downingtown West along with a return trip to the District 1 Class AAAA final. For his part, Kilgariff made appearances in each of the Indians’ district playoffs, recording the win in the team’s opening 4-3 comeback victory over Springfield and earning a save in North’s 2-1 D-1 semifinal triumph over Downingtown.
“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” stated Kilgariff. “I met a bunch of great friends. The coaches are great. These friendships will last for a lifetime and just great baseball all around.”
Kilgariff didn’t make it into the PIAA-opening win over District 12 runner-up Father Judge – Matt Hand pitched a complete game for a 2-1 victory that sent the Indians to the Elite Eight in the Keystone State. But he pitched four scoreless against Marple Newtown in the state quarterfinal matchup June 9 at Immaculata University.
Entering the game facing a 3-0 deficit, C.J. gave his team a chance, keeping the Tigers from inflicting any further damage, despite the fact Marple had five runners in scoring position in the last three frames.
“When you have runners on base, you just have to grind it out,” said Kilgariff. “You pitch from the stretch – it’s obviously a lot tougher than the windup – so there’s a lot of pressure on you. But I just rely on my defense and they made some great plays.
“Everyone just turned it up a notch with runners on base.”
Indeed. In the fourth inning, after Kilgariff issued a leadoff walk to Nick Mulinaro, North catcher Jared Schram threw the Tigers rightfielder out attempting to steal second base. In the fifth inning, after a leadoff double by Alden Mathes, a sac-bunt and a walk put runners at the corners, Kilgariff helped himself, snaring a hard-hit grounder by Marple cleanup hitter Scott Hahn and picking Mathes off before he returned safely to third base.
Closser made the final putout of the season, hauling in a monster ball hit to left field by Luke Cantwell.
“I try to make the plays when they come at me. But I have to give the coaches credit for getting us prepared,” said Closser. “We’re a pretty good defensive team and we all make the plays when we have to.”
Offensively, Closser practically willed the team to a win in the D-1 semifinal win over Downingtown. In the second inning with the Rock trailing 1-0, Closser (2-for-2, RBI) tied it with the third of three consecutive singles for the Indians. He also got things started in the decisive fifth inning, slapping a leadoff single past first base, reaching second on a sac-bunt by center fielder Ben Parker and scoring on Cavan Tully’s hit up the middle.
“He’s been huge for us – his batting average shows that, especially against right-handed pitching,” said Hand, who is headed to Lehigh. “He seems to be able to sit on that fastball. He loves that inside fastball and he got two of them today and they proved to be huge for us in a 2-1 game.”
Along with Hand, Schram and Seth Leuz, Closser was part of the Council Rock-Newtown Little League All-Star team that came oh-so-close to becoming the first from Bucks County since 2005 to return to the Little League World Series in 2010.
Additionally, the group captured Pennsylvania State Championships as 11-year-olds, 12-year-olds and as 15-year olds for the Newtown Post 440 Junior American Legion team under coaches Matt Schram and Ben Battiste.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Closser. “We’ve played a lot of successful baseball and we’re used to having these long seasons. We came up short but we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished over the years.”
Despite their previous success, the Indians had no answer for Marple righthander Ricky Collings in the PIAA quarterfinal. The Tigers senior who is headed to Widener limited the Rock to just four hits, all of which were singles and not more than one in any inning. Indeed, the only frame North had more than a lone baserunner was the sixth when Tully led off with a single and Ben Parker followed with a walk.
Hand came through with a sac-bunt to move the runners into scoring position and Scram pushed a run in with a grounder to second base. But Leuz blasted a fly ball to center that was easily caught by Mathes.
“That’s baseball you have to give them credit, sometimes the ball rolls your way and sometimes it doesn’t,” said Closser. “They pitched well, they hit the ball and they made all the plays.
“We couldn’t match that today but that’s how it goes.”
While Council Rock mercy ruled Upper Dublin 10-0 in a District 1 quarterfinal matchup, the Indians bats seemed to go quiet toward the end of the season. North’s offense accounted for just six runs in its last two D-1 playoffs and its first two PIAA Tournament games.
“We ran into some good teams, the longer you go on,” “There was a lot of good pitching that we faced and there’s a lot of talent in this area.
“The difference between a hit and an out is pretty close. Sometimes, we hit the ball hard but it was right at people.”
“It’s a lot of luck and some skill but that’s the way it went.”
The way the game started was a precursor to the final outcome. Parker reached base on a once-out single to center field, stole second and was standing on third when Jared Schram slapped a hard-hit ball to short. While Cameron Mathes misplayed the hop and failed to get the putout at first, he dared Parker – who looked like he was leaning toward home – to make a break for the plate.
Jackson did and was subsequently thrown out, extinguishing the rally.
It was a scene of things to come.
NOTES: Jared Schram has committed to play baseball at Bloomsburg and Seth Leuz is headed to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. where he says he’ll try to make it as a walk-on.
Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
