Agosto allows 1 hit over 5 innings, Neshaminy tops Pennridge for 6th straight win
WEST ROCKHILL >> Everything went pretty well for the Neshaminy baseball team Monday afternoon – after it finally found its way to the right field.
“We just assumed – they’re like ‘Oh they’re not playing at the school,’ and I’m like I know that every single time we’re not playing at the school,” Neshaminy coach Dan Toner said. “And I went to the wrong spot.”
After making the incorrect stop at Kulp Playground – Pennridge’s previous home field – Neshaminy made its way over to James Memorial Park. And starting pitcher Justus Agosto helped the visiting side settle into the Suburban One League crossover matchup, striking out the Rams in order in the bottom of the first inning.
“So we got here late,” Agosto said. “It was a rough warmup. Only got like 15 minutes to through but coming in and getting that first three hitters striking out it was a great way to start it off.”
Agosto threw four no-hit innings before giving up a leadoff single in the fifth. That was the only hit the University of New Orleans commit allowed while Neshaminy grabbed control with a four-run fifth and went on to extend its win streak – and continued the Rams’ struggles – with a 7-1 victory.
“Kid was pumping,” said Pennridge coach Craig Whitten of Agosto. “I think he was throwing a cut fastball and that thing was just riding. We haven’t seen pitches – we haven’t seen pitchers like that. Credit to Coach Toner, he got to throw his guy because they’re in the hunt, they want to get as many (district) points as they can to get their standings up where they need to be.”
Mike Donato was 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Chris James went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as Neshaminy (7-1, 3-1 SOL Patriot Division, 5-1 SOL district games) collected eight hits – all singles – in winning their sixth straight.
“We’re not piling 10, 12 hits a game even though we are doing that sometimes but we’re doing a really good job of coming through in the big moments,” Toner said. “Moving the ball around and creating havoc on the bases.”
Josh Martoccio finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and Jake Oberholtzer finished 1-for-1 with three walks and scored twice for Neshaminy, which went up 2-0 on a Donato’s two-RBI single in the third then took a 6-0 lead in the fifth.
The Rams halted Agosto’s no-hit bid in the bottom of the frame as Bobby Croyle led off by lining a single into right. With two outs, Matt Campione drew a walk to put two baserunners on but Agosto got the next batter – the last one the senior right-handed faced – to ground out.
“It’s funny cause in the dugout, my coach said right before that hit was given up one of players said ‘He has a no-hitter going,’” Agosto said. “So I guess he jinxed it.”
Pennridge (2-8, 1-4 SOL Colonial, 1-7) ended the shutout in the sixth on Matt Dubyk’s RBI single but stranded a pair in the inning then left two more on the bases in the seventh as the Rams dropped their seventh straight.
“We made some adjustments against their reliever but it’s a too little, too late type of thing,” Whitten said. “When I looked up at the score and they scored four in that one inning, I was like ‘I think these kids are done, I think they’re done mentally, physically,’ and then Justus’ last inning, Bobby had a hit against him and I was like ‘Thank God at least we broke up a no-hitter.’ We scored a run, got some baserunners but it’s tough.”
Agosto threw five innings in earning the win on the mound, striking out seven and walking five.
“My fastball, although it did give me a lot of walks but it was just pounding the strike zone, getting hitters behind and then just finish them off with fastball pretty much,” Agosto said. “I think the first two or three innings I only threw fastballs or there may have been a mix of curveballs in there.”
Pennridge’s Ashton McCloskey was 1-for-1 with two walks while Rams starting pitcher Conor Flynn took the loss but Whitten liked what he saw from his sophomore left-hander. Flynn allowed five runs – all earned – on six hits, walked five and struck out six in four-plus innings.
“He’s pitched relief for us a couple times so far this season and he did exactly what I expected him to do, what I wanted him to do,” Whitten said. “For being only a sophomore, his 94th pitch was just as good as his second pitch.”
Both teams host SOL crossovers Wednesday that count towards the District 1 power rankings – Pennridge taking on Council Rock South at 3:30 p.m. while Neshaminy faces Souderton at 3:45 p.m.
“It stinks for the team to have this much of a losing streak to keep the kids motivated to want to come to practice all the time,” Whiten said. “So that’s my new challenge. I think mathematically we’re probably out but now it’s sort of what keeps the motivating (factor), the looking forward to practice when they’re sitting in class all day and that’s the hard part.”
James started the top of the third with a bunt single. Gaige Ryan followed with a single to right while James’ slide at third beat the throw after a Martoccio sacrifice bunt, loading the bases with no outs. On the next at-bat, Martoccio made it 2-0 Neshaminy with a two-RBI single over the left fielder.
“We spray the ball all over, we get on and then we do have the ability to drive the ball deep,” Toner said. “The wind was blowing in a bit for us today so we knew that wasn’t going to be a big option so it was keep it low and move guys around.”
Neshaminy sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth. Martoccio opened the inning with a single to left while Zack Bowman walked and Donato dropped a single into right to load the bases. A walk by Oberholtzer brought in Martoccio for a 3-0 lead.
