Huge early rally powers Oxford past West Chester East and into district final

EAST NOTTINGHAM >> Less than 18 hours after a dramatic extra inning rally to earn its way into the District 1 5A Semifinals, the Oxford baseball squad carried over the hitting momentum to Friday morning.

The third-seeded Hornets batted around the lineup — blasting a pair of multi-run home runs in the process — and scored six first innings runs on their way to a 7-4 victory over visiting West Chester East. It propels Oxford into the program’s first district final in 14 years.

“The coaches told us to hit like we did (Thursday) and I thought we brought that intensity into the first inning,” said Hornets’ star senior Joey Morton.

“It definitely carried over,” added catcher Connor Reilly. “We were hyped coming in, and it was no coincidence that we put up a six-spot in the first inning. We were ready.”

Now 15-4 overall, the Ches-Mont American champs will face top-seeded Strath Haven for the district title on Tuesday. The seventh-seeded Vikings fall to 13-8 and will travel to No. 5 Marple Newtown on Tuesday in the third-place contest. Both squads have already earned a berth into the PIAA Playoffs.

“Baseball teaches a lot of life lessons,” said East head coach John Fleming. “I said to the guys afterwards that they could have quit. Like, ‘it’s just not our day and go home.’ But instead, they battled for the last six innings.”

It was actually the third straight day of action for Oxford. The quarterfinal clash with Upper Dublin was postponed from Wednesday midway through the seventh inning due to rain, and wound up going two extra innings on Thursday before the Hornets battled back from a two-run deficit to win it 4-3.

“If you count the last inning (against Upper Dublin) and the first inning of this game, we scored nine runs without making an out,” said Oxford head coach Tim Rector. “It absolutely carried over. In that stretch, we had six extra base hits.

“Playing two games in less than 24 hours, I told the guys that our pitching is limited, so we have to hit today, and in the first inning they took it seriously.”

With two runners on, Morton got it started with a towering three-run homer, followed shortly thereafter with a run-scoring double by Danny Wyatt that chased Vikings’ starter Ty Coccia. On the next at-bat, first baseman Ryan Dewees then blasted a two-run shot.

“I give Ryan credit,” Rector said. “He’s our number one pitcher but he can hit. The first fastball he saw he attacked it and put it over the fence for his first home run. He will remember that one for a while.”

East was a bit staggered, but came back with a three-run third inning, which included a run-scoring triple by senior infielder Ryan Cogill and a run-scoring double by senior outfielder Mason Griffin. And then in the sixth, the Vikings added another run after back-to-back hits by Joey Wileczek and Griffin to make it 6-4. But the Hornets got out of further damage with the first of two key double plays.

“Our defense was impeccable today and they say defense wins championships,” Reilly said. “It really helped us win the game.”

Oxford added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning on a run-scoring double by Reilly. But East did not go down easily.

In the top of the seventh, a single, an error and a walk loaded the bases. But with one out, Griffin was swinging away on a 2-0 count and grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end it off reliever Connor Warren.

“We turned (Griffin) lose and he got a pitch he could handle,” Fleming said. “He just jumped at it a little bit and pulled it to the shortstop instead of through the hole.

“But that was an awesome double play (Oxford) turned at the end.”

Shortstop Austin Tipton scooped up the grounder, Owen Rector turned it at second base and Dewees completed it with a long stretch at first.

“The double plays definitely helped,” Tim Rector said. “That was a phenomenal play to end the game. They could have just gotten the out, but they went for the knockout punch. I loved it.”

Morton made the start and went five full innings for the Hornets. He scattered five hits, fanned five and walked just one.

“At the beginning of the season, Joey (Morton) was our number one. But he had a lingering hamstring injury so we’ve had to give him some rest,” Rector pointed out. “That is the most he’s pitched all season.”

Reilly led the way with three hits, while Dewees, Wyatt and Connor Booth each had two hits.

“(Oxford) is a good team that can hit,” Fleming said. “It doesn’t help when the wind is blowing out here and they crushed two baseballs and gave themselves a cushion. And even though they only got one more run the rest of the game, it was enough because we didn’t get it done offensively in key spots.”

Griffin and freshman catcher Jackson Reed had two hits apiece to pace the Vikings.

Soon headed to Old Dominion to play college baseball, Morton reflected back on quite an eventful 20-hour stretch that wound up putting the Hornets into the district final.

“I had never won a playoff game in my high school career, so to win these two, back-to-back, it feels great,” he said.

“I knew we had a strong team coming into this season, and we’ve played well,” Reilly added. “It’s been fun.”

Oxford 7, West Chester East 4

W.C. East                              003 001 0 – 4

Oxford                                   600 001 x – 7

WP – Morton. LP – Coccia.

2B – Griffin, Reilly, Wyatt. 3B – Cogill. HR – Morton, Dewees.