Unionville pitcher Sean Matson shuts out West Chester East

EAST GOSHEN >> The Unionville High School baseball team solidified its spot in the District 1 5A playoff race Wednesday afternoon as senior pitcher Sean Matson threw an absolute gem for a 3-0 win at West Chester East.
Matson allowed just three hits while walking just one batter and striking out six West Chester East batters in an overpowering performance.
“My fastball was working really well today and I was able to locate my pitches where I wanted to – I was hitting my spots,” Matson said. “And then in the later innings I was mixing in some off-speed and it kept them off balance.”
Unionville (10-6 overall, 9-6 Ches-Mont League) was having hard time with Vikings hurler Matt Dowger, who struck out 10 Longhorns in his five innings of work. But, the Longhorns broke through in the top of the third inning.
Speedy Jack Regeyne led off with a walk and stole second base on the next pitch. After Dowger struck out Sean Regeyne, Matson hit a hard shot that bounced past West Chester East first baseman Keagen Azar, scoring Regeyne and Unionville had an early 1-0 lead against the Vikings (10-7).
The Longhorns scored again in the top of the fifth inning. Regeyne led off with a sharp double to left field. He went to third on a throwing error and scored on a wild pitch.
“My game is speed because speed kills,” Regeyne said. “I always want to be aggressive because it puts pressure on the other team and causes mistakes a lot of times, like me getting to third on that bad throw.
“It is great playing behind Sean. I am in center field and I can see the signs and everything. and he does not walk anybody so you stay in the game when you are on the field.”
West Chester East got a semi threat going in the bottom of the fifth against Matson. After Connor Ferguson led off the inning with a single, Matson got Sean Wilmer to bounce into a double play. Jackson Reed walked and Dylan Heyduk reached on an error to put two men on base with two out. Ryan Cogill hit a hard grounder to shortstop and was thrown out on a close play.
“It was really big to get that second run,” Matson said. “It takes a little pressure off. then we got another run in the seventh and I knew we were okay.”
Matson threw 87 pitches in his first complete game of the season and the Longhorns won for the sixth time in their last seven games.
Unionville coach first-year coach Chris Valis said, “When I got the job in November, Sean was the first phone call. He is our senior leader and he sets a great example for the other guys. The guys all look up to him and follow him and he gave us what we needed today.”

Unionville 3, West Chester East 0
Unionville 001 010 1-3
WC East 000 000 0-0
2B-Jack Regeyne.
WP-Matson. LP-Dowger.