Pennsbury baseball pounds Abington in SOL opener (VIDEO)
FAIRLESS HILLS – It’s a whole new ball game over at Pennsbury.
Well, almost.
Coming off a campaign in which they reached the PIAA quarterfinals, the Falcons are sporting a different look in 2016 after seeing every position player graduate along with a few key pitchers.
Pennsbury (1-1) took pieces from the old and added some of the new in an 11-1 mercy-ruled win over Suburban One League (SOL) National Conference rival Abington Thursday, March 31 at Falcon Field.
Newcomers Ryan McCarty and Justin Massielo, a freshman, stroked three hits apiece and junior right-hander Jon Deiss pitched a complete game two-hitter to keep the visiting Galloping Ghosts at bay.
A recent junior transfer student from Notre Dame Catholic in Lawrenceville, McCarty reached base four of the five times he came to the plate and batted in three runs including a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning that sent the battle to a shortened conclusion.
A JV pitcher last year, Deiss scattered two hits – both, singles – over six innings of work. Deiss struck out one batter and walked only one. His efforts helped the Falcons even their record at 1-1 overall (Pennsbury was shut out in its season opener March 29 at Archbishop Wood).
Given the starting nod the day before, Deiss was a little nervous in his first ever varsity game and balked twice in the first two innings before settling down.
“Sometimes, the best thing to do is to take a deep breath and know that you’re prepared, know that you’ve trained hard to get where you are and just throw the ball over the plate,” said Deiss, after recording the win.
“I just had to calm down, throw strikes and let the defense do all the work.”
Abington scratched an early run across in the first inning on centerfielder Jack Larini’s two-out RBI single to right field, then failed to get a hit until catcher Justin Yerkes hit a one-out single in the sixth. Defensively, the Ghosts committed five errors in the contest.
“Our first two games against Wissahickon and P-W, we played outstanding,” said Abington head coach Dave Torresani. “Our pitchers were sharp, our fielding was crisp and we scraped enough runs across to win.
“Today was a totally different Abington ballclub.
“Pennsbury played very well; give them credit. They’re a young team, they’re spunky, they put the bat on the ball and we didn’t do anything right.”
Truth be told, there were nine errors committed between both teams and yet, the five on the side of the visitors seemed to be more costly for the Ghosts, who had difficulty retiring the side in both the third and the fifth innings.
While the Falcons batted around in a 3-run third inning that saw only two hits, both of which were singles, Abington did little to help its own cause with two errors, a hit batsman and a walk in the frame.
Outfielder Tyrone Hodges (2 RBI) got the scoring started for Pennsbury with a bases-loaded 2-run single to left field in which the outfielder mishandled the ball, allowing an extra run to easily cross the plate. Designated hitter Bryen Kimbrough then hit into what looked like it might be an apparent force play at second base. However, when Justin Ward was ruled safe sliding into second, the Falcons went up 3-1.
Ghosts starter Greg Troyer tossed a scoreless fourth inning before being sent to the showers after walking Hodges to lead off the fifth.
That’s when the real trouble began for Abington as Pennsbury sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning and scored five runs to take an 8-1 lead.
With runners at first and second, an infield grounder tapped by Kimbrough was mishandled at first base, giving the Falcons a 4-1 lead. Vaugh Ward’s grounder to short put Pennsbury on top, 5-1. McCarty then crushed a Matt Horn offering over the left fielder’s head, pushing the lead to 6-1.
Finally, first baseman Dave Murphy (2 RBI) slapped a Cole Henry offering up the middle, plating two more runs for the Falcons.
Meanwhile, Deiss had settled into a groove on the hill, retiring the side in order in the fifth, with help from Collin Kelly, number nine hitter for the Ghosts, who slapped a double-play grounder to short with a runner on and no outs in the fifth.
Sixth-inning singles by Massielo, Vaughn Ward (2 RBI) and McCarty, whose single down the left field line plated a pair of runners, ended the game with one out in the bottom of the sixth.
Troyer suffered the loss for Abington (2-1), which opened the season with wins over Wissahickon and Plymouth-Whitemarsh.
“I’m hoping it’s a one-day aberration, because we’re a lot better than this,” said Torresani.
For the Falcons, the league opener was a breakout session. Just two days before, Pennsbury struggled facing Archbishop Wood lefthander Ryan Logan, a Lansdale Catholic transfer who pitched six shutout innings and struck out 11 batters in what turned into a 7-0 loss for the Orange & Black.
“We were a little concerned coming in but we knew we were going to face Troyer so we really worked the middle-away,” said Falcons head coach Joe Pesci. “Today, we put the ball in play and that’s what you have to do – put pressure on high school kids and make them make plays
“We also got some clutch line drives – (Ryan) McCarty, Ty (Hodges) and a couple other guys.
“We got some big hits and it was great to see us respond that way.”
Eight of the 18 outs made by the Ghosts were fly balls although they couldn’t all be classified as lazy fly balls. A one-out offering by Deiss with a runner on in the sixth inning was crushed to right field by Jack Larini. Vaughn Ward made a leaping catch for the second out, sending the Abington baserunner scrambling back toward first.
It was a good thing for Pennsbury as the next batter reached base on an error. A sharp grounder slapped to third base was gobbled up by Billy Bethel to retire the side and that was the last time the Ghosts got a crack at the bat.
Pennsbury 11, Abington 1
(March 31 at PHS)
Abington 100 000 X 1 2 5
Pennsbury 003 053 X 11 3
MULTIPLE HITS — Ryan McCarty 3-for-4, Justin Massielo 3-for-4.
MULTIPLE RBI: McCarty (3), Bryen Kimbrough (2), Vaughn Ward (2), Tyrone Hodges (2).
WP — Jon Deiss (P): 6IP, 1R, 2H, 1BB, 1SO, 0HB.
LP — Greg Troyer (A): 4IP, 4R 4H, 2BB, 3SO, 1HB.
