Matt Choi leads Upper Merion past Perk Valley
UPPER MERION >> Upper Merion’s first three batters in the bottom of the first inning singled and scored Monday afternoon against Perk Valley.
That was all the hosts would need in a 3-2 Pioneer Athletic Conference win at Upper Merion Area High School.
The three quick runs were enough for right-handed pitcher Matt Choi. In six innings he allowed two hits and one run while striking out six batters and walking seven.
“My curveball was good today,” Choi said. “I had a lot of control over that. Whenever I can use that, I feel like I can pitch as well as I want.”
“Matt Choi was phenomenal,” Upper Merion coach Matt Mitchell said. “They’ve got a great lineup one through nine and both (Upper Merion pitchers) hit corners, changed speeds — can’t say enough about them.”
Perk Valley (3-2, 3-1) didn’t go down without a fight. They entered the seventh inning trailing, 3-1. Dylan Boyd worked a one-out walk and scored on Matt Szczesny’s two-out double to make it 3-2.
But that’s where he remained. Upper Merion’s Mike Hutchinson closed out the two-inning save with a strike out.
Upper Merion (4-3, 4-1) started the game with singles from Ray Scheier, Choi and Hutchinson to load the bases with no outs. Jonathan Eyer grounded out to score Scheier and Ryan McAteer ripped a two-out double to plate Choi and Hutchinson to make it 3-0.
“I feel a lot more confident going out there because I know I have a lead,” Choi said of the effects the early runs had on his pitching. “I put less pressure on myself.”
Choi helped himself at the plate. He went 3-for-3 with three singles, a run scored and a stolen base.
“I was attacking fast balls,” he said. “I was zoned in.”
Perk Valley pitcher Tyler Stretchay would only allow four hits after the first innings. He gave up the three runs on eight hits while striking out seven batters to no walks.
“Tyler threw a heck of a game today,” PV coach Ryan Hinkle said. “They put the bat on the ball in the first inning. He really made one mistake on second and third there — he missed with a belt-high fastball and they scored two extra runs there. He shut them down the rest of the game. Credit Choi, he kept our hitters off-balance early on in the game.”
Joe Gorla knocked in PV’s first run in the top of the fifth inning. He plated Ryan McCourt with a two-out single. The visitors went on to leave the bases loaded that inning.
In all, Perk Valley left nine runners on base.
“Our bats just didn’t have it today,” Hinkle said. “We struck out nine times and left nine runners on base. That’s the ballgame right there.
“It’s been hit or miss,” Hinkle added about the offense this season. “We still have guys who are trying to find their spot in the order. Some guys are trying to step up into certain roles. We haven’t really clicked on all cylinders yet offensively and been able to execute in certain situations. We had bases loaded — strikeout looking. We end the game with a strikeout looking. That’s stuff that you learn as a team — you just have to put the ball in play, got to put the pressure on them.”
Upper Merion’s Hutchinson totaled three strikeouts and one walk in relief. He gave up one run on one hit.
The win improves Upper Merion to 4-1 and keeps them in the thick of the race for the PAC Frontier Division.
“We’re really happy,” Choi said. “Last year we didn’t do too great, but I think this group is good.”
Upper Merion 3, Perk Valley 2
Perk Valley 000 010 1 — 2
Upper Merion 300 000 x — 3
WP: Choi 5 IP 6 K 7 BB 2 H 1 R
LP: Stretchay 6 IP 7 K 0 BB 8 H 3 R
S: Hutchinson 2 IP 3 K 1 BB 1 H 1 R
2B: PV: Szczesny. UM: McAteer.
Top Photo: Upper Merion’s Matt Choi on the mound during game against Perk Valley on Monday, April 10, 2017. (Gene Walsh/Digital First Media)
