Dock strikes quickly, slugs its way past rival Faith Christian
TOWAMENCIN — Brayden Kratz was wearing a big smile – and the home run chain – after helping Dock slug its way to a 10-0, six-inning victory over visiting Faith Christian Academy Friday afternoon.
“That felt so good,” Kratz said of his robust performance at the plate, which included a home run, two runs scored and a pair of RBI. He reached base three times in all.
“I had been in a little bit of a slump so that (home run) felt really good,” the shortstop said. “Everything just came together and I knew it was gone.”
Kratz’ towering shot to right helped cap off a terrific day for Dock, a day that included five and a third shutout innings from right hander Nathan Lapp and a six-run first inning by the offense.
“Nate got out there and shoved, did really really well. And the defense had a great game too,” said Kratz, who anchored things at short. “We’re working on all the little things in practice and we just keep doing the little things: defense, throwing strikes, getting that extra 90 feet…That’s all it takes.”
Dock raised its unbeaten record to 7-0 and now gets ready for a home game Tuesday against another Bicentennial Athletic League rival, Delco Christian. Faith (3-1), which got a pair of hits from Kendri Beltre Friday, will hit the road Tuesday against Jenkintown.
Dock struck quickly on Friday.
The Pioneers took advantage of four Lion errors and got timely hits from Zach Neff and Matt Miles to jump out to a 6-0 lead. Deven Ross, Neff, Zach Frederick and Miles all drove in runs that inning. Sam Laux drew a walk off Lion starter Reid Miller and scored to make it 7-0 in the second.
Lapp settled in quickly, striking out five in a row in a sequence from the first to third innings. The righty finished with seven K’s, three walks and five hits and pitched into the sixth. Kratz would come on and get a strikeout and a flyout to end the Lions’ sixth at-bat.
In the bottom half, Lapp belted a double to left to lead things off. Kratz’ homer to right made it 9-0, and with two on, a ground ball by Frederick scored Ross (single) to end it.
“That (6-0 start was) big. We’ve pretty much jumped out to a good start in all of our games,” Kratz said. “So I think that’s a really big part of why we’ve been successful. Because we’re stepping on (the opponents’) throats and not giving them a chance to come back.”
Dock 10, Faith Christian 0 (6)
Faith 000 000 – 0 5 6
Dock 610 003 – 10 10 1
WP: Nathan Lapp (51/3IP, 0R, 5H, 7K, 3BB).
LP: Reid Miller (4IP, 7R, 1ER, 5H, 1K, 2BB, 1HBP).
HR: D-Brayden Kratz. 2B: F-Ethan Johnson; D-Lapp.
Multiple hits: F-Kendri Beltre 2-for-2, BB; D-Kratz 2-for-3, BB, HR, 2R, 2RBI; Deven Ross 2-for-3, HBP, 2R, RBI; Zach Neff 2-for-4, R, 2RBI; Matt Miles 2-for-2, BB, RBI.
