Freshman Stretchay aids Perk Valley’s 7-4 win over Phoenixville

PHOENIXVILLE >> Tyler Stretchay is receiving a true baptism under fire as a freshman athlete at Perkiomen Valley High School this year. He did it during the basketball season this winter and now he is back doing again during spring baseball.

Stretchay drew the starting assignment for Wednesday afternoon’s Pioneer Athletic Conference baseball contest against Phoenixville at Doc Kennedy Field. Stretchay responded with five strong innings on the mound and got plenty of support from the Vikings on offense and defense as they topped the Phantoms, 7-4, in a well-played game on both sides.

Stretchay, plus two good innings of relief work from Paul Mudrick, enabled Perkiomen Valley to move to 6-2 in the PAC-10 (7-2 overall).

Perkiomen Valley jumped on top with two runs in the first inning, added three more in the fourth and two in the sixth, which proved to be plenty of support for Stretchay and the Vikes.

Stretchay, a curve-balling specialist and control pitcher, stayed solid despite three Phoenixville runs in the second inning and one more in the fourth.

“I was just really trying to get ahead in the count early,” said Stretchay. “I was trying to put them away with the curveball. The curveball is my number one. It is my favorite pitch.”
Stretchay fanned three batters and walked one. Like any pitcher, Stretchay was happy to be able to pitch with a lead.

“It always helps to take the pressure off,” said Stretchay. “Offensively, and the defense was behind me, too.”

Perkiomen Valley coach Ryan Hinkle is thrilled to have Stretchay as a keen competitor on the mound for this year, but he is also ecstatic that he has three more years to look forward to as well.

“Tyler is a freshman out there and he threw well,” said Hinkle. “Later in the game he lost something off his off-speed pitches. Paul came in and pounded the strike zone, which was nice with no walks. That is what we encourage all of our pitchers to do. We want the offense to put the ball in play, and have the defense react.”

The Vikings remain right in the thick of contention for the Final Four playoffs. Hinkle said his pitching staff is a big reason why.

“Our pitching has been our number one asset,” said Hinkle.

He said the Vikes graduated 85 percent of their mound corps, but the returning players and newcomers have risen to the occasion quite nicely thus far in 2016.

Phoenixville coach Neil Herman is also quite happy with his youngsters in Phoenixville, who continue to display steady improvement with each outing.

“It was nice to see us play that well against one of the top teams in the league, against any competition,” said Herman. “We had it in our grasp. We just have to fix some mistakes. I was proud of my kids for the way they battled with them.

“I am seeing improvement – that is a good stepping stone. We are good when we play together and play the right way. Then they can play with anybody in the league.”

He said the Phantoms have encountered many of the opposing teams’ No. 1 pitchers at the start of the season. Most of them have been hard throwers as well, which has created a big adjustment and transition for the young Phoenixville hitters.

Zach Masalski pitched five-plus good innings for the Phantoms and combined with Morgan Bennyhoff for the entire assignment.

Offensively for Perkiomen Valley, third baseman Trent Tyson went 3-for-4 with a triple and three runs batted in. Adam Gaines also tripled, scored two runs and drove home one run. Mark Ott slapped a one-out double to left field in the seventh inning.

Leadoff man/center fielder Sean Moriarity had two hits, one run and was hit by a pitch in reaching base three times. Phoenixville second baseman Jared Carboy also made a nice running catch to retire him in the fourth inning.

Nate Yoder had two hits, two runs scored and one RBI. Matt Szczesny had a pair of hits and one RBI out of the cleanup position in the batting order. Shortstop Joe Gorla had two hits, one run and a stolen base. Zach Alcott went 2-for-2 with one RBI.

For Phoenixville, sophomore third baseman Kevin Cushing had three hits out of the No. 4 position in the lineup. Sophomore shortstop Nick Opalkowski, a converted catcher, had a pair of hits and one RBI. Nasir Green stroked a single and fourth-inning sacrifice fly for two runs batted in. Bennyhoff had two hits as the starting first baseman before moving to the pitching mound. Carboy ended up with two hits, two runs and one RBI. Catcher Luke LeBeau, who has been solid behind the plate, chipped in with a fifth-inning single.

Each team turned one double play with Perkiomen Valley ending the game with a 4-6-3 twin killing. Each side stranded 10 baserunners.