Mon finds a way for streaking Strath Haven
NETHER PROVIDENCE — Jake Mon’s last name inspires some good-natured razzing by his Strath Haven teammates.
When he steps to the plate, you can hear a chorus of “Mon! Mon! Mon!” emanating from the Strath Haven bench. This goes on for every pitch. Since print isn’t the medium to share sound, just imagine the scene in the Disney classic “Finding Nemo” where the seagulls spot Nemo’s dad, Marlin, in the Sydney Harbour, and are waiting to pounce on the little guy and his friend, Dory.
If you haven’t seen the movie, well, what are you waiting for?
It’s hard not to laugh, then, when you hear the Panthers joshing in the dugout. It’s a rallying cry for Mon, like when he worked a full count in the bottom of the seventh inning in a tie game against Penncrest Thursday afternoon.
Mon had timed the fastball of Penncrest reliever Evan Rosenberg, who gave it everything he had not to walk in the winning run. He fouled off four pitches, but Rosenberg’s final one landed square on the back of Mon, the proud recipient of a walk-off, hit-by-pitch.
Strath Haven 3, Penncrest 2.
That’s one way to win a ballgame.
“My mindset was to just stay on top of the fastball and have a good at-bat, stay up the middle,” Mon said. “I know I have to be ready for anything.”
In that situation, though, no one is really expecting to take one for the team.
Jake Mon is drilled in the back with the bases loaded. That's a walk-off plunk! Final: @PanthersSH 3, @PcrestBaseball 2
Very good HS BASEBALL game pic.twitter.com/sHjoEqh1Gg
— Matt Smith (@DTMattSmith) May 2, 2019
“He had a great at-bat,” said Haven pitcher Koll Peichell, who hurled a complete game. “I’m just hoping and praying, cheering him on and hoping for the best. (Mon) struggled a lot during the season, so I was glad to see him up there with the chance to win the game for us.”
Mon’s sacrifice was made possible by Peichel’s pitching. After a shaky first inning, in which the Lions scored two runs on a sacrifice fly by Danny McLaughlin and an RBI groundout off the bat of Jeff Lunger, Peichel was excellent.
“I was definitely relying on my curveball because my changeup wasn’t working today,” said Peichel, who allowed five hits and two walks while striking out seven. “I knew I could throw my curveball for a strike when I needed to. I was able to get batters out with that.”
Of course, he received some help from his star catcher, senior Brady Mutz, who picked off Matt Arbogast dancing off third base to quash a second-and-third, one-out rally in the fourth inning. Peichel said Mutz “changes the game,” with his elite ability.
“I was just thinking of any way I can help the team and get us out of a tough inning,” said Mutz, who will play baseball at Monmouth next spring. “It could’ve been a bad inning potentially, so I just wanted to do my part.”
Peichel has been a starter for coach Brian Fili since his freshman year. This spring the sophomore right-hander has been called upon to help carry the pitching staff and be a strong No. 3 behind seniors Noah Atsaves and Andrew Yates.
“Having a good catcher, it’s something you don’t really realize until he’s gone or you’re not throwing to him,” Peichel said. “Once I throw so many balls in the dirt, I know he’s not going to always be there to block it. His hitting aspect, always putting the ball in play, he’s really changes everything about our team.”
Mutz impacted the game in other ways. He walked and scored a run on Mon’s sacrifice fly in the first inning to cut Penncrest’s lead to 2-1. In the bottom of the seventh, after nine-hole hitter Christian Thack doubled to begin the rally, the Lions intentionally walked Mutz. Peichel grounded out to shortstop for a fielder’s choice, then Yates, who was 2-for-2 with a double, was issued an intentional free pass to load the bags for Mon.
The Panthers had knotted the game at two in the sixth when center fielder Chris Felder hit a line drive beyond the reach of a diving Arbogast at third base. Yates, who doubled, came around to score the tying run.
Dylan Bittle was very good on the mound for the Lions, who have suffered two walk-off losses in the span of a week. The senior Bittle, a lefty in the mold of a veteran Jon Lester, possesses a craftiness that is lacking in the game today. He’s not breaking the radar gun, but he knows how to pitch and do it well. He worked around four hits and five walks while allowing one earned run over six innings of work.
The Panthers (7-8, 7-6) have won three straight games following a streak of five consecutive losses. The growing pains were expected for a young team, but the Panthers are playing their best baseball at the right time.
“This was a really good win, the way we battled until the last inning,” Mutz said. “It’s a great win against a really good team.”
Elsewhere in the Central League:
Haverford 6, Conestoga 0 >> Andrew Stuck allowed only three hits with 11 strikeouts in 6.1 innings as the Fords blanked the Pioneers. Dan Kelleher and Mateo Gonzlaez added two RBIs apiece.
Ridley 4, Garnet Valley 0 >> Ethan Pecko was brilliant over 6.2 innings before reaching his pitch count limit. Pecko scattered four hits and allowed no walks with 10 strikeouts to lead the Green Raiders over the first-place Jaguars.
Ryan Schreiber, Trent Pierce (double) and Andrew Beyers each went 2-for-3. Jeff Haveson pitched six solid innings with five Ks for the Jags.
Marple Newtown 10, Harriton 4 >> Erik Molinaro roped a pair of doubles and Alden Mathes pitched six innings with seven strikeouts as the Tigers (12-2, 10-2) notched their 10th straight league win. Owen Mathes (single) and Jack Mulgrew (double) also knocked in runs
Radnor 9, Springfield 1 >> Doug Campbell smacked an RBI triple and winning pitcher Matt Cohen was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Eight played had one hit for the Raiders.
Lower Merion 8, Upper Darby 1 >> Jake Amatucci was 3-for-3 in the losing cause for the Royals.
