Owen J. Roberts grabs PIAA berth, tops Pennsbury 3-1

FAIRLESS HILLS — They belong.

Owen J. Roberts embraced that belief at the start of the District 1 Class AAAA playoffs, tightening its grip on the concept through the first two rounds of play. The Wildcats further validated their contention in a big way Friday, in the form of a 3-1 victory over Pennsbury that extends their postseason for at least another three games.

Scoring three times in the top of the fifth inning — with benefit of just one hit, but a pair of Falcon errors — enabled 11th-seeded Owen J. to break up a tight game with its third-seeded hosts. Weathering Pennsbury’s last-ditch rally in the seventh secured the ‘˜Cats both a berth in the upcoming PIAA Class AAAA playoffs, and a spot in the district’s semifinal round.

“We’ve been saying all year we have to play as a team,’ head coach Greg Gilbert said afterward. “The guys have to do their individual jobs.’

On this occasion, they did it in the field and on the basepaths.

OJR played solid, error-free defense behind pitcher Corey Hennessey, who had a seven-hit shutout going prior to the seventh, And its fleet feet accounted for all its runs, taking advantage of two Falcon errors in the process.

“Our philosophy is to put pressure on the other team’s defense, and hope they make mistakes,’ Gilbert said. “It paid off.’

Collin McCourt and Jake Leclerc turned in sizzling defensive plays that prevented Pennsbury from getting untracked in the early going.

In the third, the Falcons’ D.J. Endler hit a single to right-center field that set up Billy Bethel (walk) to score from second. But Leclerc fired a strike to catcher Joe Zgleszewski, who made the tag on Bethel.

One inning later, designated hitter Brody McFadden hit a shot at the hole between shortstop and third. It ended up being an out, though, as McCourt stretched to glove the ball.

“I just threw myself at it,’ he recalled. “When we came in after (the inning), the guys were confident.’

The confidence survived a tenuous situation in the bottom of the seventh. Pennsbury loaded the bases with one out, Freddie Schrandt and Bryen Kimbrough hitting singles — the second one dropping in between three OJR fielders — prior to Pat Lawrence drawing a walk.

Hennessey then fanned Bethel on four pitches, but Zach Szumigala walked to force Schrandt home. It became a moot matter, though, when Roberts got Endler to ground out toward second.

“Corey seems to like to do that,’ Gilbert said of his junior southpaw’s determination toward finishing games he starts. “But they made it interesting.’

Owen J’s big-run inning kicked off with Griffin Hensley belting a double to the fence in left-center. He was awarded third base when Pennsbury pitcher Zach Conley was called for a balk, and Collin McCourt got on base one out later when he was hit by a pitch.

Blake McCourt then dropped a bunt in front of home plate, and Hensley beat the play at the plate to put OJR up 1-0. Collin McCourt, who took second on the play, went to third on Zgleszewski’s hit to shortstop. When Pennsbury catcher Kyle Marshall overthrew second attempting to thwart Zgleszewski’s ultimately-successful steal attempt, both Roberts baserunners scored on the play.

“We gave our pitcher the run support we could,’ Collin McCourt said.

Though qualifying for states is big, the Wildcats’ immediate focus remains on chasing a district championship. They will resume that pursuit Tuesday with a 4 p.m. game against 15th seed Council Rock North, which rolled Conestoga by a 12-1 count in five innings.

“I want us to focus on districts right now,’ Gilbert said. “It’s nice to have states to lean on, but we’re taking it one game at a time.’

Pennsbury, in turn, will fall into the playback bracket with the district’s other three quarterfinal losers — Boyertown among them. The winner of that bracket will get the district’s fifth seed to the state playoffs.’

“We’re really excited,’ McCourt said. “We haven’t made it this far the last 3-4 years.’

NOTES — Owen J. filled the bases in the seventh, with Blake McCourt and Zglezewski drawing walks off Conley and pinch-hitter Josh Fulmer getting plunked by Falcon reliever McFadden. But McFadden got out of the jam by coaxing a flyout to left. … Collin McCourt and Alex Condello were both hit by pitches from Conley.