Phoenixville runs past Norristown

WEST NORRITON >> Phoenixville hitters reached first base 15 times against Norristown Wednesday afternoon. Thirteen of those baserunners stole second and one of them also stole third.

Eight of those stolen bases resulted in seven runs in the Phantoms 9-2 Pioneer Athletic Conference crossover win at Norristown Area High School.

“We liked what we saw,” Phoenixville’s Hudson Narke, who swiped four bags, said. “We work on it a lot at practice and we make sure to do what (assistant coach) Doc (Kennedy) coaches us to do in the games. It worked out in our favor today, had a couple good jumps, timing up the pitcher, saw some things we liked.

“When you can get a walk or something and steal second, it’s like hitting a double. Any time we can move runners around the bases is great. Some timely hits helped us out today, too.”

The Phantoms (4-2, 3-2 PAC) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a Dylan Antonini one-out single and the visitors led the rest of the way. Sam Marsh made it 2-0 in the second when he walked, stole second, advanced to third on a dropped third strike strikeout and scored on a balk. Narke walked, stole second, moved to third on a fly ball to right field and scored on a Wade Carruthers single to make it 3-0 in the third.

“We’ve gotta figure it out,” Norristown coach Brett Huston said of allowing stolen bases. “We have to be able to hold runners on. It’s not just the catcher they’re stealing on, they’re stealing on our pitchers at the same time. We need to clean a lot of things up on the bases, whether it’s making sure that we’re throwing over and getting right back to the mound or doing things a little bit differently. That’s way too many stolen bases.”

The 3-0 lead held from the third inning to the sixth, when Phoenixville’s offense came alive. M.A. Smaltz, Jake Straight, Colin Bull and Narke tallied four consecutive hits – three singles and Bull’s double – after totaling four total hits in the first five innings. Smaltz, Straight and Narke each knocked in a run before Narke stole third and scored on an errant throw to make it 7-0.

“We brought the energy out,” Narke said of the top of the sixth inning. “I feel like the first couple innings we were playing asleep. Coach brought us in, talked to us a little bit. We strung a couple hits together and everybody got into it. We found our groove there.”

Norristown (3-5, 1-3 PAC) got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a Chase Logan sacrifice fly, but Phoenixville extended its lead to 9-1 in the top of the seventh, capitalizing on a two-out Eagles error.

Norristown’s Logan Hendricks hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to make it 9-2.

Antonini earned the win on the mound, striking out six batters in four shutout innings. He surrendered two hits, walked one batter and hit five batters.

Bull earned a three-inning save. He allowed two runs on no hits. He struck out six batters, walked three and hit two batters.

Matt Leary took the loss for Norristown, allowing two runs on two hits in one inning. He exited the game after getting hit in the head while batting in the bottom of the first inning.

The loss of Leary, Norristown’s leadoff hitter, was felt on the offensive end, too. His spot in the lineup came up with runners in scoring position three times the rest of the game, including the bases loaded with two outs while trailing 2-0 in the second inning.

“It seemed like every time Matt’s spot came up,” Huston said, “it was either bases loaded or guys on second and third, situations where Matt really excels. That really hurt today.”

Aidan Hagner threw four innings for the Eagles. He struck out five batters to three walks and allowed one run on two hits.

Phoenixville 9, Norristown 2

Phoenixville 111 004 2 – 9

Norristown 000 001 1 – 2

WP: Dylan Antonini 4 IP 6 K 1 BB 2 H 0 R

LP: Matt Leary 1 IP 0 K 1 BB 2 H 2 R

S: Colin Bull 3 IP 6 K 3 BB 0 H 2 R

2B: P: Lleyton Coupe, Colin Bull.