Council Rock North hangs on to beat Downingtown East for spot in title game
UWCHLAN >> Playoff baseball is supposed to be intense, cleanly played and marked by quality starting pitching.
Tuesday afternoon at a steamy Downingtown East High School, both the Cougars and Council Rock North showed all of those traits and proved why they were in the District 1 Class 6A semifinals.
Council Rock North pitcher Ryan Stalker allowed the potent Downingtown East attack just three hits while striking out seven and walking just one. On the other side, the Cougars’ Hutch Gagnon allowed the Indians just four hits while striking out five.
But the host Cougars left seven men on base and the visiting Indians triumphed, 2-1, to earn a spot in Thursday’s District 1 final against Bensalem.
The Cougars will host Conestoga in the third-place contest.
“We just could not get the big hit,” Downingtown East coach Pete Susi said. “Give their pitcher credit. He pitched very well and we had our chances, but he kept us from getting a big inning. Hutch pitched great for us and I feel bad we could not get him some runs. But it was a real well played baseball game and you would expect that this time of the season.”
Downingtown East stranded men in the first, second and third innings as Stalker got out of trouble each time.
Council Rock North gave its pitcher a single run in the top of the fourth inning. Carson Shane led off with a walk and pinch runner Matt Kinney stole second and went to third on a groundout to first. Kinney then scored as Jason Walter hit a grounder to second for the second out, but the run scored and it was a 1-0 Indians lead.
The Cougars got a break in the bottom of the fourth inning when Stalker struck out Connor Munnelly, but the ball got past the Indians’ catcher and Munnelly was safe at first. Joe Cestare bunted Munnelly to second, but Stalker retired Zach Burton and Austin Taylor to again get out of trouble.
“Early in the game my fastball was working really well,” Stalker said. “I could not find my curveball until later in the game but then it became my number one pitch.”
The Indians rallied again off Gagnon in the top of the fifth inning as Stalker led off the frame with a single. After Gagnon retired Kyle Wearing, Nolan Hartwell laid down a bunt and beat the tag to first base with an alert Kusters going all the way to third base with one out. Gagnon retired CJ Donofry for the second out as Hartwell stole second base. Cavan Tulley singled to center, scoring Kusters and a sliding Hartwell missed home plate and was tagged out as he walked to the Indians bench for a 2-0 Indians lead.
Downingtown East came alive in the bottom of the fifth with a little help from the Indians’ defense. Joe Janick reached first when he was hit by a Stalker curveball. Matt Szepanski hit what appeared to be a double play ball, but the Indians threw the ball into right field, putting men on first and third with no one out. Tommy Hammett hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game, but Stalker retired the next two Cougars and Council Rock North dodged a big bullet.
“We got the guys grouped up and told them that these things happen in baseball,” Council Rock North coach Matt Schram said. “You are always going to have some errors but we could not let them capitalize on them and get a big inning. Ryan did a great job today and once he found his curveball I was confident he would finish the game. He had them off balance at the tail end of the game.”
The Cougars were retired in order in the sixth but in the seventh they threatened again. Janick led off with a single down the third base line and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Szepanski. But, Stalker retired Hammett and Albert Choi and the Indians stopped the Cougars’ hope of winning the district title.
“Once my curveball got going I felt more confidence,” Stalker said. “This was our third long trip to Chester County but we made the most of it on the bus, listening to music and focusing on the game. Today, was a big win for us.”
