Downingtown East clinches Ches-Mont National Division baseball title

UWCHLAN >> For the first time in the last five seasons someone other than Downingtown West can lay claim to the Ches-Mont National Division title. Courtesy of an impressive 9-0 Ches-Mont National Division win over Bishop Shanahan Tuesday afternoon, Downingtown East is the Ches-Mont National Division champion for the 2019 season.
Downingtown East (14-4) used a 12 hit attack and six impressive shutout innings from junior David Ferguson to tame the Eagles (9-9). The Cougars jumped out early and often against the Eagles, jetting out to a 5-0 lead after two innings.
“We sort of knew, way back at winter workouts, that we were a good team,” Ferguson said. “We just worked hard, and we have a lot of talent and we came through. It is a great feeling to be the league champs.”
After banging out four singles and a run in the first inning, the Cougars broke things open against Bishop Shanahan starter Anthony Bertolami in the bottom of the second inning. After getting Ryan Fick for the first out, trouble found the Eagles.
Dave Owsik singled to stat the rally and Matt Vitali reached via an infield error. Cam Reichlin roped an RBI single to right field and it was a 2-0 game. Bertolami got the dangerous Albert Choi to pop out for the second out but Zach Burton joined the hit parade, stroking a long two-run double to left field. Another Eagles error led to an RBI single by Connor Lynch. When the carnage was over, Downingtown East led 5-0.
While the Downingtown East offense was red-hot, Ferguson was icing the Shanahan attack, as he struck out nine Bishop Shanahan batters for the game and stranded runners in each of the first four innings. Ferguson used a live fastball and nasty curveball to keep the Eagles batters at bay.
Downingtown East put the game out of reach with a two-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth inning. Choi led things off by getting hit with a pitch. After Zach Burton flied out to left field, Tommy Ajjan laced an RBI single, scoring Choi, who had stolen second base. Lynch, who reached base all four times he was up, hit a fastball to left field for an RBI single and the Cougars were in full control at 7-0.
“We knew coming into the season that we had the pitching,” Downingtown East coach Pete Susi said. “And we thought if we could hit a little bit we would be okay. But, we started the season hot, and once we saw we would hit the ball, we knew we would be okay. The kids worked hard all winter and they deserve this.”
The Cougars, with the Ches-Mont title in sight, scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Two Bishop Shanahan errors and an infield hit by Fick led to two Downingtown East runs and it was a 9-0 game.
In the seventh inning, Susi went to the Mike Defant to close things out. Defant fanned all three Bishop Shanahan batters he faced and the Cougars had their first championship in five years and were now looking ahead to the upcoming District 1 Class 6A playoffs.
“Back in the winter when we worked out in the morning, you could see we had the talent to compete with West,” Choi said. “We have a lot of talent and now we have to get ready for the Districts, and then we hope to get to States, so we are not finished yet.”
Bishop Shanahan will qualify for the District 1 Class 5 A playoffs and after being outscored 19-0 in its last two games by Downingtown West and Downingtown East, Eagles coach Brian Boyko said the playoffs are a new season.
“This season is over and we start new,” Boyko said. “And it was good that we saw real good pitching the last two games. We have the ability to get a roll once the districts start. It is a new season.”