Downingtown West inches closer to top of Ches-Mont with win over W.C. East
WEST GOSHEN >> You do not win three straight Ches-Mont National Division championships by winning games just one way.
The usual Whippet lineup mashes the ball all over the field until the opposition cries uncle.
Tuesday afternoon at West Chester East High school, the Whippets played a little small ball and got the usual sterling pitching as Drew Britt and freshman Jack Ginsburg combined to limit the Vikings to just five hits on the way to a 5-1 win that puts the Whippets just a half game behind league-leading Downingtown East.
Downingtown West (11-3) started early as leadoff man Tommy Eliason walked to open the game, and was sacrificed to second on a great bunt by Evan Williams. Eric Grintz walked to put two men on and then Britt launched a long sacrifice fly to score Eliason to make it a 1-0 game off Viking starter Ryan Basarab, who walked six Whippets in his five innings of work. The Whippets used the bunt to their advantage again in the top of the second inning as with men on first and second, Dylan DiRocco put down another beautiful bunt to move the runners up and both Whippets scored on a Eliason two-run single to left field.
“We practice bunting and small ball every day in practice,” DiRocco said. “If you can execute things like bunts that move runners up, then the big hits mean more and you score runs. We feel we can play any type of game.”
With a 3-0 lead after just two innings, Britt was in full control. The Whippets ace allowed just three hits, all singles, in his four innings of work, although West Chester East (7-6) did score an unearned run in the third inning tome it a 3-1 game.
That was all for Britt due to a pitch count, and in came impressive freshman Jack Ginsburg. All Ginsburg did was continue the mastery of the Vikings as Ginsburg used his assortment of offspeed pitches to shut out the Vikings over the last three innings. He allowed just three singles and he struck out four batters while not allowing a walk.
“You have to be ready when you do not start a game to be ready at all times,” Ginsburg said. “It was nice to come in with a lead but it really doesn’t matter. You have to throw strikes and today I was using my offspeed stuff and my changeup was working really well.”
Also working well was the Whippet offense, which broke the game open in the sixth inning. With one out, Andrew Ciliberto singled to put a man on first with one out. Josh Willenbrock hit a hard grounder and the Vikings forced Ciliberto out at second for the second out of the inning. Ciliberto stole second and scored when DiRocco ripped an RBI double to deep left for his second hit of the game.
“On the double I hit a fastball and it was a little down,’ DiRocco said. “It was big to get those runs there. we are all making good contact right now.”
DiRocco scored when the Vikings made a two-base throwing error on a ball hit by Eliason, and West Chester East was up against it at 5-1. Ginsburg, although only a freshman, looked like a seasoned veteran as he cooly set down the Vikings in the sixth and seventh innings and the Whippets drew within a half game of the league lead.
“We used the bunt early on to manufacture some runs,” said Downingtown West coach Dave Oleszek. “And we did not mash the ball but we moved runners and the kids ran hard on the bases and we got great pitching from Drew And Jack. It was important to get those runs early and play this game from in front. Now we have to get ready for Coatesville.”
Note >> Downingtown West outfielder Josh Willenbrock made six putouts in right field.
