Baseball: Bishop Shanahan shuts out Downingtown East behind complete game from Andrew Noone

DOWNINGTOWN- A day after losing a late inning heartbreaker to Oxford, the Bishop Shanahan baseball squad bounced back in a big way Thursday afternoon at Bishop Shanahan High School. The Eagles rode a superlative pitching performance from Andrew Noone, who struck out 10 Downingtown East batters while allowing just three singles in a 98 pitch masterpiece leading to a 2-0 Bishop Shanahan win.

 

Bishop Shanahan (6-7 Ches-Mont, 6-8 overall) also had to overcome a strong starting pitching performance from the Cougars hard luck loser Luc Rising. But the Eagles scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and Noone made it stand up.

 

“I really think all of my pitches were working really well today,” Noone said. “And my teammates made all the plays in back of me. It is really reassuring for me as a pitcher when they make a real nice play finback of me. It allows me to just throw strikes and go after the hitters and that was what happened today.”

 

Noone breezed through the first four innings as he allowed just a single to Jake Schultz, who the Cougars (8-5, 9-5)stranded as Noone struck out the side after Schultz lead off single. But the Cougars seriously threatened in the top of the fifth inning.

 

Nick Mullen led off for Downingtown East and Mullen made the first out on a fly ball to deep left field. Schultz then laced his second single of the game and the Cougars put two men on with one out when Kyle Mandirola reached on an infield error. Up stepped pinch hitter Jamy Jenkins who ripped a long high drive to right field. but, bishop Shanahan right fielder Stephen Furia made a leaping grab and then threw a strike to second base to double off Schultz and end the inning.

 

The Eagles had taken the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when they finally got to Rising, who was pitching a no hitter through the first three innings. Rising got the first two Bishop Shanahan batters out to start the bottom of the fourth inning and looked like he was in complete control of the situation.

 

But, Simmi Whitehill ripped a fastball to center field to put a man on first with two out. Jake McCarter then scored Whitehill when he ripped a long RBI double and the Eagles had a 1-0 lead. Noone then helped himself by lacing an RBI double, scoring McCarter and the Eagles had a 2-0 lead after four frames.

 

“We talked about the tough loss we had yesterday against Oxford and to come out and compete like the kids today was really something.” Bishop Shanahan coach Brian Boyko said.

 

Downingtown East looked to crack Noone in the top of the sixth inning, trailing 2-0. Andrew Dewees led off with a sharp single to left field. But Noone struck out Jack Reichlin on a pretty breaking ball for the first out. Pinch runner Ryan Grissom went to second on a wild pitch and the Cougars had the tying run at home plate.

 

Alex Lehman hit a hard grounder in the hole between first and second but Logan Kapczynki made a nice play and threw to Noone who was covering first base for the second out. Brayden McClain then hit a grounder to third base and was thrown out on a play the Cougars argued that the Eagles first baseman came off the bag but McClain was ruled out and the inning was over. Noone then breezed through the top of the seventh inning and the Eagles had a tidy 2-0 win that puts them back in the District 1 5A playoff hunt.

 

“I feel with the team we have if we can get in the playoffs we can go pretty deep because we play all these tough teams in the Ches-Mont.” Noone said.

 

The win was really needed for the Eagles who came into the game one spot out of the playoff race and Boyko talked about the Eagles chances.

 

“We talk all the time about learning to win games and finish,” Boyko said. “And today the kids really respond to a tough loss yesterday and Andrew was really, really, good for us. This league is so tough we seem to really beat each other up. We just have to put together some wins to make the playoffs and I think we can do well. The kids just not competed today, they found a way to win.”

 

Bishop Shanahan 2, Downingtown east 0.

 

Downingtown East  000 000 0-0

Bishop Shanahan   000 200 x-2

2B-McCarter. Noone.