Collings keeps North Penn in check as Marple Newtown advances

NEWTOWN SQUARE >> There’s one attribute about Marple Newtown ace pitcher Ricky Collings that stands out above all else to his coach.

It’s not a single pitch or his ability to produce with his bat. It’s not his impressive work ethic or dependability, though those traits stem from this very special one.

It’s one an observer can see, not physically, but in how Collings composes himself on the mound.

“It’s his backbone,” Fightin’ Tigers coach Steve Smith said. “He’s been a four-year starter for me and he had earned the right to have a day like that and the baseball gods were on his side.”

Collings was given the ball in Marple Newtown’s first-round District One Class AAAA playoff game Monday. His task? Beat the defending state champions in North Penn. It was a big task, but one perfectly suited for Smith’s right-handed ace.

The Widener-bound senior was terrific in Marple Newtown’s 2-1 victory, outdueling North Penn’s Jared Gorman in a tight but extremely well-pitched duel. Neither hurler is especially overpowering, but Knights coach Kevin Manero lauded how Gorman kept his team in the game and noted the “pitching clinic” he’s put on all year.

It really came down to which team could most capitalize on its few chances and on Monday, that proved to be the hosts.

“We have a lot of guys out there who have been in a North Penn uniform for a long time and I think it’s real important for them to see the difference between winning and coming up just short,” Manero said. “We certainly have a lot of talent and a lot of good pieces to the puzzle. The most important thing they can take from their years in the program is whatever they perceive as the difference between winning and not winning, they can take that off the field to everything they’re going to do in life.”

North Penn was in prime position to put some early hurt into Marple Newtown when Zack Miles singled and Mason Nadeau walked and advanced to third and second respectively with one out. But Collings got out of the jam, surrendering three more hits the rest of the way.

Gorman also had to battle through some jams in the first and second inning, stranding a runner at third in each frame. But he ran into trouble in the third.

The Tigers dynamic freshman leadoff hitter Alden Mathes stroked a double to right-center to open the third, got to third on a Bobby Steven single then scored on a one out, bases-loaded single by left fielder Luke Cantwell. A bunt by Cameron Mathes plated Steven for what would be the winning run.

Smith didn’t mince words regarding Alden Mathes, who led the Central League with 32 hits this season.

“Best player in the Central League, no question,” Smith said. “He was 3-for-4 today and plays defense like a mad dog.”

Marple Newtown’s defense was very good, even with two errors. First baseman Corey Woodcock started a double play in the second to rob a hit and erase a runner, while Cantwell was excellent in left, going horizontal to steal a hit away from Miles in the third.

For North Penn, the game was quite familiar to plenty the Knights had been in this season. They usually got a really good pitching outing but seemed to keep coming up one run short, especially in league play which prompted a late-season surge to get into the postseason.

“We certainly had our chances and we certainly hit the ball hard today,” Manero said. “In fact I would say we consistently hit the ball hard more than we had in any other game this year. But, in key opportunities when we had chances, we did not execute. Situational hitting and execution is big.”

North Penn finally cracked Collings in the fifth inning after a two-out error allowed Miles to reach and extend the frame. Nadeau, the Penn State-bound senior centerfielder, made the Tigers pay by launching a ball to the deepest part of the field, just past Mathes’ glove and down for an RBI triple.

Collings was able to stop the damage there, getting Alex Peterson to fly out to left. Manero said Nadeau’s hit sparked the team but also added the Knights needed to string more of those together.

North Penn graduates a good number of seniors, several who played key roles in last year’s state title, but the cupboard is far from empty. Manero said six of the nine starters are back next year, which is something he’s very excited about.

“I like a lot of what they do and how they play,” Manero said. “Tyler Siddal’s a young third baseman, Zack Miles the last couple games has really hit varsity pitching and will be very good, Nate O’Donnell at second, Corey Stouffer at first, a young sophomore (Ryan Bealer) in right and the catcher (Matt Marino) behind the plate. These guys are good.”

Marple Newtown awaits its opponent, either Coatesville or West Chester East from a game postponed by Monday’s storms. The Tigers won’t have Collings available for that game, but because of him, they got the chance to play in it.

“He doesn’t back down from anybody,” Smith said. “He’s the same as always. Ricky always wants the ball, so it was a normal day for him. Some guys fear that, some guys don’t want the ball, he wants the ball.”