District 1-6A Baseball: Geib shuts down Garnet Valley in big spot, helps Owen J. Roberts qualify for states, reach semifinals
BUCKTOWN >> Shay Geib made a difficult situation look easy on Wednesday afternoon.
The Owen J. Roberts senior right-handed pitcher entered Friday’s District 1-6A quarterfinal against Garnet Valley with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning of a tie game.
For Geib, it was just another opportunity to do his job.
Geib struck out two batters to escape the jam in what proved to be a pivotal moment in No. 3 Owen J. Roberts’ 3-2 victory over No. 6 Garnet Valley.
“That’s my job is to just come in and throw strikes,” Geib said. “That’s it.”
.@AthleticsOjr’s Kyle O’Connor drove in two runs as part of a three-hit day, and Shay Geib was clutch in relief in Friday’s districf quarterfinal win. pic.twitter.com/fv6jnAKOa1
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) May 27, 2022
Mid 4th: Some clutch pitching from Shay Geib. He comes in with bases juiced and gets two Ks to get OJR out of the jam. pic.twitter.com/PVwZQ3pBSN
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) May 27, 2022
Friday’s victory advanced the Wildcats (23-1) to Tuesday’s District 1-6A semifinals against No. 7 Coatesville — a 9-2 winner over No. 2 Hatboro-Horsham — and earned them a spot in the state tournament. Garnet Vallley (16-5) will travel to fourth-seeded Souderton on Tuesday for district playback game.
Owen J. Roberts went up 1-0 in the second inning Friday when Blaine Waltimyer rocketed a ball over the fence in center field. GV’s Colin Simmons drove in a run with a bases-loaded infield single after two walks and an error to tie the game in the next half inning.
OJR shortstop Dean Mihos helped starter Tristan Dietrich (3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K) out of the jam by tagging out the runner on third after a wide turn on Simmons’ hit.
The Jaguars loaded the bases again with one out in the top of the fourth after two walks and a single by Carter Wilson. In came Geib to help the Wildcats out of the jam.
He struck out two straight batters to leave the bases juiced.
“I just knew our defense was on, so if they hit the ball, they hit the ball, we make the play,” Geib said. “I wasn’t really worried.”
Geib’s heroics allowed OJR to take control of the game in the bottom half of the inning.
The Wildcats struck for two when Kyle O’Connor (3-for-3) drove in a pair of runs with a high chopper over the third baseman’s head to give his team a 3-1 lead after four.
“Coach Gilbert’s expressed to us that we need to put the ball in play, put the ball in play, put the ball in play,” O’Connor said. “When we faced (West Virginia recruit Robby Porco) we only had four strikeouts. That was huge for us, just limiting strikeouts.”
Garnet Valley starter Simmons limited the damage to just the two despite the Wildcats getting two more runners in scoring position.
A strikeout of Waltimyer to end the fourth finished Simmons’ day (4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K) before sophomore Mark Zuppo allowed just one hit and struck out three over the next two innings.
“He’s fought hard his whole career to get where he is today,” GV catcher Reed Farrell said of Simmons. “He just takes deep breaths, resets himself and goes back to business whatever happens.
“He gave us multiple chances.”
FINAL: Owen J. Roberts 3, Garnet Valley 2. … Alex Lobello earns the save as Wildcats book trip to States and District 1-6A semis. Jags to playback bracket. pic.twitter.com/QhOwLlYX0k
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) May 27, 2022
Bot 4th: Kyle O’Connor high chopper scores two. 3-1 OJR pic.twitter.com/IkemVOva1x
— Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue) May 27, 2022
Simmons drove in CJ Wood in the top of the fifth to pull Garnet Valley within one, 3-2. Geib used a strikeout and got a nice play from second baseman Ethan Sabatino on a slow roller to strand runners on second and third.
Geib allowed a hit in the sixth, but stranded a runner on second after the umpire called Wood out for leaning into a pitch over the plate with two strikes.
Alex Lobello came on in the seventh inning, retiring the Jaguars in order for the save.
Dietrich, Lobello and Geib were three of the seven pitchers OJR used in its first two district games to book its trip to states.
“Our pitchers, we come here and get ready to work,” Geib said. “Everybody’s talented. Everybody can come in and do it if they’re needed.”
Garnet Valley had its chances.
The Jaguars left runners on base in every inning besides the first and seventh, stranding a total of 10 in the game.
“They threw everything for strikes today,” Farrell said of the OJR pitchers. “They’re a good team, they have good arms. We knew that. Stuff just works out sometimes not in your favor. That’s baseball.”
Garnet Valley won one playback game last year after losing in the district quarters before falling one win short of a state playoff berth.
Once again, the Jaguars need two wins to claim the district’s fifth and final spot in the state tournament.
“Reset, play our game,” Farrell said. “We’ll hit practice hard this weekend and that’s all you can do.”
The Wildcats’ state playoff berth and semifinal appearance will be the program’s first since 2015.
A large chunk of Owen J. Roberts’ roster — O’Connor and Geib included — helped the Norchester American Legion team to regional and state championships last summer.
The group is helping to have a similar ending this spring.
“We were in it (states) for Norchester and we know how big it was,” O’Connor said. “I’m comparing it to that and it was a lot of fun. I’m just thinking it’s going to be even more fun with this group of guys.”
“This is the best team I think both of us ever played on and we’re excited to keep going,” Geib said.
NOTES >> Mihos and Zach Santise had OJR’s other two hits along with O’Connor’s three and Waltimyer’s long ball. Farrell, Wood, Simmons, Wilson and Zack Liberatore tallied GV’s five knocks.
