Faulcon, Evans help Pennsbury edge Pennridge for 4th straight win

WEST ROCKHILL >> Pennsbury’s James Schaffer kept the top of the fifth inning going by dropping a two-out single into right center. A passed ball allowed him to take second base, giving the Falcons a chance to break a scoreless tie with Pennridge.

Charlie Evans took advantage of the opportunity, lacing a single through the left side of the infield to bring home Schaffer and put the visitors in front in Wednesday afternoon’s Suburban One League baseball crossover matchup.

“When Schaffe got on and the passed ball happened, when he got on second, I knew I had to do a job and kind of just at least get it in play hard,” Evans said. “And got a nice pitch to drive, to pull and it worked. He scored and we’ll take the run.”

It was the Falcons’ lone run but it was all they needed thanks to Kayden Faulcon. The junior right-hander struck out eight in pitching a four-hit shutout as Pennsbury edged the Rams 1-0 at James Memorial Park for its fourth consecutive win.

“I think I came out with the same attitude I come out with all my starts, come out and just shove,” Faulcon said. “Got to get ahead and work with the off-speed later. My off-speed wasn’t the best today but I was able to pick it up with my fastball and I was able to get guys out and get a lot of soft hit balls and balls in play that my defense was able to handle.”

Pennridge starting pitcher Aidan Fretz put together a solid complete-game effort on the mound, but the Rams (3-4, 1-4 SOL Colonial) could only collect a quartet of singles off Faulcon in losing their fourth straight. Pennridge did not score a run in three of those defeats, including the last two.

“We had plenty of opportunities, we had plenty of opportunities to get on base, we had plenty of opportunities to score runners,” Pennridge coach Craig Whitten said. But bottom line is everybody’s kind of sick of being shut out two times in a row.”

In the bottom of the seventh, Ryan Hass led off with a single to right center. Ashton McCloskey followed with a sacrifice bunt but Hass’ pinch runner was caught going too far past second and was thrown out attempting to advance to third. The next batter popped out to shallow left center.

“Little things like that win you ballgames in close games,” said Evans, a Winthrop commit. “Where knowing that when he rounds second our first baseman’s ready to fire it to second and he came off a little too far and that’s how good teams execute and win ball games.”

Evans went 2-for-2 with a walk and also doubled in the first for the Falcons (8-1, 5-1 SOL Patriot), who also won 1-0 in their previous game April 13 to hand Council Rock North its first loss.

Faulcon, meanwhile, gave up just one walk and hit one batter in tossing the shutout. The righty started his day by working out of a bit of trouble in the bottom of the first. Joey Calabretti slid into first for a two-out infield single then stole second. Jaden Morgan drew a walk to put two on but Faulcon ended the inning with a strikeout.

The Rams would not get another runner in scoring position until briefly having one at second in the seventh.

“I just think in my head to just relax, keep pounding the zone,” Faulcon said. “Weak balls in play lead to outs. Guys on base, don’t got to worry about, just keeping shoving, keeping them modest and just keep delivering.”

Fretz took the loss despite the solid outing, the senior right giving up an unearned run on four hits, walked three and struck out three in seven frames.

“Fretz was great,” Whitten said. “Curveball wasn’t working that great but his changeup was pretty much on point.”

Hass went 2-for-3 with a two-out base hit in the fourth then his leadoff single in the seventh.

“He had a really bad first at-bat and I talked to him, I was like ‘Man don’t wait for that next good pitch go find that next good pitch,’” Whiten said. “And then he had a really two-strike hit his second at-bat and he had probably the most timely leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Did his job.”

Pennridge visits Neshaminy 3:45 p.m. Friday while Pennsbury plays at home the next two days – North Penn Thursday then Souderton Friday with both games at 3:45 p.m.

“Last year we had a couple of the same guys but the chemistry wasn’t there,” Faulcon said. “We struggled a little bit but this year we have a lot more chemistry. And we’re able to provide and get each other’s backs and that’s what helps us. I might be throwing, if we’re not hitting the best I never doubt my guys, I know they’ll come through like they did. And they helped me out, got me a run so we could close it out.”

Pennsbury was denied a second run in the top of the seventh. Joe Tiroly led off by reaching first on an error, went to second on a Jackson Freeman sacrifice bunt then third on a wild pitch.

Tiroly tried to score on a groundout to the shortstop but first baseman Alex Fantaskey delivered the ball home in time for catcher Joey Santora to apply the tag and kept the Rams down 1-0.

“He put that ball no better than if he placed it there,” said Whitten of Fantaskey’s throw.

The Falcons had two runners on the top of the first after a Evans out-out double to left center and a Ryan Zuckerman two-out walk. Fretz, however, stranded both with a strikeout.

“He’s a great pitcher because he has such a short-term memory,” said Whitten of Fretz. “So I’m excited to see him pitch the rest of the season cause we’re going to be relying on him pretty heavy.”

After Evans’ RBI single with two outs in the fifth, he stole second and took third on a passed ball but was left there due to fly out to center.

Pennsbury 1, Pennridge 0
Pennsbury 000 010 0 – 1 4 1
Pennridge 000 000 0 – 0 4 1
WP: Kayden Faulcon 7 IP 4 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 8 SO 1 HB.
LP: Aidan Fretz 7 IP 4 H 1 R 0 ER 3 BB 3 SO.
2B: PB-Charlie Evans.
Pennsbury: Evans 2-2, RB; James Schaffer 1-3, R.
Pennridge: Ryan Hass 2-3.