Plymouth Whitemarsh hits three HRs in win over Springfield-Montco
SPRINGFIELD >> Plymouth Whitemarsh totaled six hits against Springfield-Montco Monday afternoon and made the most of them.
The Colonials slugged three home runs in their 12-2 Suburban One League crossover win in six innings at Springfield Township High School.
“We have been hitting a lot (of home runs) this year,” PW coach Chris Manero said. “We have guys who I feel like are good enough to work the middle, work the gaps and they connect with the ball. We have good, strong hitters on this team and I think we have doubles, extra-base hit, home run-potential in several spots in our lineup.”
Jack Hildebrand sent the first blast over the left field fence in the top of the first inning. His three-run shot gave the SOL Liberty-leading Colonials an early 4-0 advantage.
Two innings later, it was Joe Jaconski’s turn to round the bases. The senior sent his over the right field fence for his fifth home run of the season. The two-run homer put PW ahead, 9-1, in the top of the third inning.
Jesse Jaconski hit the final home run of the day in the top of the fifth. The junior’s three-run home run – which took an umpire conference to determine whether it left the playing field or not – gave PW a 12-2 lead and put the visitors in position to win in five innings with a 10-run lead. It was the younger Jaconski’s fourth home run of the season.
Back on track
Hildebrand’s home run was not only his first of the season, but the first of his varsity career. The senior played JV as a sophomore in 2019 before his junior season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His first-inning homer brought home Luke Caucci and Mike Miller, who doubled and walked, respectively.
“I usually hit in the three-hole spot but I was in the five-hole spot today after a rough game Thursday,” Hildebrand, who added another RBI in the second inning, said. “I bounced back today. Saw more fastballs. After the first pitch ball I saw a fastball and hopped right on it.”
“We just moved him around the order a little bit,” Manero said, “tried to get him in a comfortable spot. He got up there in his first at-bat and made up for it. It was really good to see that.”
The three, four and five spots in PW’s batting order should get plenty of opportunities to knock in runs hitting behind the North Carolina-bound Jaconski brothers. Joe worked two walks Monday afternoon while Jesse walked once and was hit by a pitch.
“We have Joe and Jesse,” Hildebrand said, “the big North Carolina commits. Most people don’t really pitch to them their first at-bats. They try to stay around them … They don’t want to pitch to them so they have to pitch to us. Kids like me and Mike Miller have to come up big and step up. Mike stepped up big earlier in the season. I think we’re both going to step up at the end.”
Hildebrand, a first-team All-SOL American selection along the offensive and defensive lines for the football team, will be playing college football at Ursinus.
“He’s a great example of a two-sport athlete,” Manero said. “He works real hard for football and as soon as football’s over he comes and starts working with the baseball team. He’s got that throwback (mentality) – if he’s going to play two sports he’s going to play them well. He’s a good leader, he works really hard. He’s really become a good first baseman for us.”
Rauscher’s day
While the PW offense was jogging around the bases, pitcher Joe Rauscher was working through the Spartans batting order. The right-hander allowed two runs on three hits over five innings. He struck out eight batters to one walk.
“It’s important to come out when you have a lead and take care of business and hold that lead,” Manero said. “(Springfield has) some really good bats in their lineup. You can see they’re very aggressive and they had a couple big hits early, but you could see as he got a bigger lead he got more comfortable and hit his spots. Joe threw a lot of strikes today, it was really good to see.”
Springfield’s first run came in the bottom of the first inning, when Gabe Franczyk led off with a double, advanced to third on an error and scored on a Nate Dennis triple.
Dennis plated Franczyk again for the Spartan’s second run. Franczyk walked in the bottom of the third, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Dennis single.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 12, Springfield 2
Plymouth Whitemarsh 432 03 – 12
Springfield 101 00 – 2
WP: Joe Rauscher 5 IP 8 K 1 BB 3 H 2 R
LP: Brett Smith 1.1 IP 3 K 5 BB 3 H 7 R
2B: PW: Luke Caucci. SP: Gabe Franczyk.
3B: SP: Nate Dennis.
HR: PW: Jack Hildebrand, Joe Jaconski, Jesse Jaconski.
