Methacton scores redeeming 2-0 victory over Phoenixville for Pioneer Athletic Conference baseball championship

BOYERTOWN — The Methacton baseball team’s goal this season was to get back to the same spot it was a season ago.

That’s exactly where the Warriors found themselves Thursday night in a Pioneer Athletic Conference championship game against Phoenixville that felt eerily similar to the one they lost to the Phantoms last year.

“You’re living off every pitch when it’s a 2-0 game. Just to feel like, ‘Oh man, this can’t really happen again,’ and you get into the seventh inning and it starts to build,” Methacton coach Paul Spiewak said.

Ben Clark (17), Tripp Shytle (9) and Nick Remish (12) and the rest of the Methacton baseball team celebrate with the PAC championship plaque after defeating Phoenixville in the final on May 16 at Boyertown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
The Methacton baseball team poses with the PAC championship plaque after defeating Phoenixville in the final on May 16 at Boyertown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

After jumping out to a lead for the second year in a row, the Warriors once again faced a Phantoms rally in the seventh.

Instead of six extra innings of baseball and a heart wrenching loss, this time Methacton finished the job with a 2-0 victory. Sophomore Will Christian worked his way out of a jam in the final frame to finish off a two-hit shutout and deliver the Warriors their first PAC title in a decade.

“We used last year as motivation this whole year, focused on this game,” Methacton junior Tommy Kratz said. “We wanted to be back where we were and we got it. There was a little nerves, I’m not gonna lie, but we felt get good once we got that second run and I had so much faith in Will. We all did, and we knew he was gonna get it done.”

Last season’s Methacton-Phoenixville final was a 13-inning marathon that ended in a 5-2 Phantoms win after they erased a 1-0 deficit in the seventh inning.

Methacton’s Casey Behan runs toward home plate to score the team’s second run against Phoenixville in the PAC final on May 16 at Boyertown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Methacton’s Tripp Shytle celebrates with the PAC championship plaque after defeating Phoenixville in the final on May 16 at Boyertown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

The Warriors struck first again on Thursday at Boyertown’s Bear Stadium. Warriors’ lead-off hitter Kratz was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first. After a walk and infield single he came in to score on a sac fly by Chase McNally for a 1-0 Methacton lead, just beating the throw by Phantoms’ right fielder Chris Mull.

“Casey Behan was on deck and he told me to slide outside,” Kratz said. “I listened to him and slid outside, and it was that much of a difference that made me safe compared to out.”

“It was huge to get the lead. We knew Will was going to go out there and pitch a great game.”

Phoenixville starter Christian Cervino delivered 6.2 innings out of the bullpen for the Phantoms in last year’s title game. He went five in Thursday’s contest, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and four walks while striking out five batters.

Cervino escaped a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the first with just one run allowed. He didn’t give up another until Methacton’s Tripp Shytle ripped a single into right field to score Casey Behan after Behan reached on an error. Cervino handed the ball to Tommy Whitesel in the sixth, who kept the deficit to two.

“Christian battled his tail off,” Phoenixville coach Geoff Thomas said. “Tommy came in and gave a good inning of relief.”

Methacton pitcher Will Christian (42) delivers to the plate against Phoenixville in the PAC championship game on May 16 at Boyertown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Methacton’s Casey Behan (2) is congratulated after scoring the team’s second run against Phoenixville in the PAC final on May 16 at Boyertown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

Christian said he spent Thursday’s school day dreaming of the celebration on the pitcher’s mound at Bear Stadium. The one-day postponement gave him extra time to go through mental rehearsals of what it might look like.

The lefty gave up a single to Sam Marsh in the first inning and retired 12 in a row before a walk in the fifth. He gave up a second hit in the sixth to Kevin Kingsbury, but put down the next two batters to cruise through the first six innings in just 67 pitches.

“The change-up was working tonight,” said Christian, who was on the JV team last season before stepping into the No. 2 starting pitcher role on the Warriors’ staff this season. “It was my best pitch by far, that was the go-to.”

Christian started the seventh with a strikeout but ran into trouble with a walk and then an error on a ball back to him. The unnerving moment didn’t get to the young starter as he got a pop up and a strikeout before his teammates sprinted out to celebrate with him near the mound.

Phoenixville pitcher Christian Cervino delivers to the plate against Methacton in the PAC championship game on May 16 at Boyertown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)
Methacton shortstop Bryce Lohsen fires to first base for an out against Phoenixville in the PAC championship game on May 16 at Boyertown. (Austin Hertzog – MediaNews Group)

He followed up ace Evan Jones’ dazzling outing Monday night with seven strikeouts and two walks in a 92-pitch complete game effort.

“I was thinking about it all day,” Christian said of the postgame celebration, “and I just couldn’t wait to get that last strike.”

Spiewak credited seniors like Shytle, Behan, Austin Frank and Ben Clark for the group’s ability to get back to the championship game. There were early morning lifts, offseason workouts and plenty of work outside practices inspired with one goal in mind.

“They all made the decision that we’re going to get back and we’re gonna get another shot,” Spiewak said.

The Warriors followed up their first PAC title in 2014 with a run to District 1 gold. They’re positioned well for a district run at the moment, currently ranked No. 3 in the District 1-6A power rankings.

Phoenixville needed a late season push to make its way into the PAC and district playoff field. The Phantoms are currently slated to be the No. 9 seed in the 12-team Class 5A field.

“We were 90 feet away from a walk-off loss to Pottsgrove, which would have eliminated us from postseason play and we won five in a row to get to this point,” Thomas said. “I’m just so proud of them. I’m proud of their diligence. I’m proud of their patience. I’m proud of their grit and determination. They’ve got heart.”