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WEST GOSHEN >> District 1 playoff baseball is known for its intensity and crazy finishes. Monday afternoon at Price Field, West Chester East scored the winning run on a Cruz Cooper sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th inning to down Oxford, 4-3 in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs.
The sixth-seeded Vikings will face No. 3 Upper Dublin in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The Hornets wrap up their season at 10-9.
Oxford, the 11th seed, overcame a two-run deficit in the top of the seventh to take a 3-2 lead. But, the Vikings tied the game in the bottom of the inning, before winning it in the 11th inning. Sophomore Carter Reed pitched four scoreless innings in relief of Jeremy Coccia to get the win.
“I just try to stay ready and come in and throw strikes,” Reed said. “Throwing to my brother (catcher Jackson) is pretty cool. We talk about the hitters before the game. I just tried to stay composed and I knew I had eight guys behind me so it was a good feeling to get this win.”
Coccia and Oxford starter, Landon Rozich, both pitched very good baseball, holding down good offenses. The Vikings (17-6) scored an unearned run in the first and another single run in the sixth to take a 2-0 lead to the seventh.
Oxford got things going when Rozich laced a leadoff single. After Cocccia got Tom Matueszewski to ground out, with Rozich going to second, Jesse Palita hit a grounder to short that Josh Sherlock missed and Rozich scored to make it a 2-1 game.
Cam Weaver ripped a long double to right field to put runners on second and third with one out.
The Hornets then went ahead after Kaden Boumgard singled in two runs.
Jackson Reed led off with a single to right. Sherlock then laid down prefect sacrifice bunt that moved pinch-runner Steve Polis to second. Owen Rozzi moved Polis to third with a ground out. He then scored the tying after a wild pitch from Matuszewski.
“I had all four of my pitches working pretty well today,” Coccia said. “We lost the lead in the seventh but we believe in each other and we are a very tight knit family, and we got it done.”
Both Matuszweski and Reed traded zeroes until the Vikings came up in the bottom of the 11th. Nick Rostock was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Polis ran for Rostrock and promptly stole second base.
With the count 1-0 on Cruz Cooper, Polis went to third on another wild pitch. Two pitches later, Cooper lofted a fly ball to medium right field. Polis tagged up and came charging home. The throw beat Polis, but Weaver, bobbled the ball and Polis was ruled safe to extend the Vikings’ season.
“Jeremy was lights out for us today,” Vikings coach Corey Webb said. “I will put him up with anybody in our league. They scored in the seventh, but the kids did not get down. Jackson Reed got us started. He has been a four-year stater for this team and he adds so much veteran leadership for us.
“Then, we got the run in the 11th. Carter Reed, who is just a sophomore, pitched great for us. He gave us the innings we needed today.”
WC East 4, Oxford 3, 11 innings
Oxford 000 000 300 00 – 3
WC East 100 001 100 01 – 4
WP – Reed. LP – Matuszewski.
2B – Weaver.
