Grintz, Downingtown West shut out West Chester East
DOWNINGTOWN >> Downingtown West has won the Ches-Mont League National Division championship for the last four seasons, and has qualified for the PIAA Class 6A playoffs twice in that span. Based on results Monday afternoon at a windswept Downingtown West, the Whippets are on course for another stellar season.
Downingtown West received a sterling complete game performance from senior Adam Grintz, who allowed West Chester East eight singles, walked just one Viking batter and struck out seven as West remained undefeated with a convincing 5-0, Ches-Mont National Division win.
Eric Grintz got things started for his brother in the bottom of the first inning. With Steve Posner on base after a walk, the dangerous Grintz took Pat McFarland’s 2-1 pitch far over the right center field fence for an early 2-0 advantage.
“I hit a slider up and out over the plate,” Eric Grintz said. “And it is always good to get an early lead. it takes the pressure off of you and you can just play baseball. I think we have a good mix of young guys and guys that have played last year, and if we keep practicing and playing together we can get into a good rhythm.”
West Chester East (1-2) had its chances against Adam Grintz as the Vikings left men on base in every inning except the first. But the Vikings could not get the big hit to break up the shutout. In the top the fourth inning, trailing 2-0, the Vikings mounted a serious threat. After John Wileczk grounded out, Grant Shorey lined a single to center to put a man on first with one out. Evan Werley then made the second out by flying out to center. Jake Cochlio roped his second single of the day to center field to put men on first and second with two out and Matt Dodger coming to the plate. Adam Grintz went to a 2-2 count, and then the Whippet hurler blew a fastball by Dodger to end the threat and keep Downingtown West ahead, 2-0.
“I do not change my mindset at all with men on base,” Adam Grintz said. “Today my fastball was really working well and I was going right after their hitters with my fastball. And getting that 2-0 lead in the first inning was huge because it takes the heat off and you know you have the lead and you can relax and go right at the hitters.”
Downingtown West put the game away in the bottom of the fourth inning against McFarland. After stranding five runners in the last two innings, the Whippets cashed in in the fourth. Kevin Small led off with a walk and went to second on a Posner sacrifice bunt. Aaron Sipes was hit by a McFarland pitch and the bases were loaded after a Eric Grintz single. McFarland reached back and struck out Tommy Eliasion for the second out but Evan Williams roped a hard two-run single to make it a 4-0 game. With the way Adam Grintz was throwing, it could have been 24-0.
But, after the Whippets scored their fifth run off West Chester East reliever Manny Smith in the fifth inning, the Vikings left a man on base in the top the sixth, but had another threat in the top of the seventh inning. After Adam Grintz got the first two Vikings to fly out to center, Jay Dalton legged out an infield hit to short to put a man on first with two down.
Joey Wileczk then hit a fastball for a single to put men on first and second with two out, and Adam Grintz’s shutout was in danger. But the Whippet got John Wileczk to ground out to shortstop, and Downingtown West remained perfect on the season with a 5-0 victory.
“Adam has had a lot of experience pitching for us because he won games for us as a freshman,” Downingtown West coach Dave Oleszek said. “He has been in district and state playoff games and he works at his game very hard. Today, he walked just one batter and was pounding the strike zone. We left men on base today but I am pretty happy with our 4-0 start and I think if we keep working we can find a groove with the young guys and guys who have been through this league before. We are going to have to count on the junior class to keep things going this year.”
Downingtown West 5, West Chester East 0
WEST CHESTER EAST ab r h bi DOWNINGTOWN WEST ab r h bi
Joe Wileczk ss 4 1 0 Posner 2b 2 1 1 1
John Wileczk cf 4 0 0 0 A.Grintz p 0 0 0 0
McFarland p 0 0 0 0 Sipes dh 1 1 0 0
M.Smith p 0 0 0 0 Abele ph 1 0 0 0
Shorey dh 3 0 2 0 E.Grintz c 4 1 2 2
Werley c 3 0 0 0 Reiben ph 1 0 0 0
Cochlio 1b 3 0 2 0 Eliasion 3b 2 0 0 0
Dodger 3b 3 0 0 0 Williams 3b 2 0 1 2
Griffin 2b 3 0 1 0 Morse rf 2 0 0 0
Guianan rf 2 0 0 0 O’Lauhlin lf 3 0 1 0
Z.Smith ph 1 0 0 0 Welsch cf 2 1 1 0
Dalton lf 3 0 2 0 Small 1b 2 1 1 0
Totals 29 0 8 0 Totals 22 5 6 5
West Chester East 000 000 0 – 0
Downingtown West 200 210 x – 5
HR-E.Grintz.
W. C. East IP R H BB SO
McFarland, L 4 4 5 5 3
M.Smith 2 1 1 0 1
Downingtown West
A.Grintz, W 7 0 8 1 7
