Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Henderson gets hot in runaway win while Lucas, Gray blank Coatesville
WEST CHESTER » The snow flakes falling at Bob Owens Field Monday sure didn’t make it feel like spring.
The heavy hitting West Chester Henderson bats, however, are an annual sign better weather is on the way.
Henderson continued its winning ways Monday afternoon with an impressive 10-0 win in six innings over Coatesville, as the Warriors duo of Justen Lucas and Brendan Gray combined to limit the Red Raiders (1-4) to just four hits while the Warriors (4-1) banged out 16 hits against four different Coatesville hurlers.
Henderson plated an unearned run in the first inning off Coatesville starter Tyler Wright. Wright got the first two Warrior batters out before Evan Spano doubled to right center. Spano came around to score when Wright unleashed a wild pitch and the Red Raider catcher’s throw to nab Spano at third went into left field for an early 1-0 Henderson lead.
But, Wright settled down and the Warriors could not get to the lefty as Henderson left eight men on base in the first four innings.
Coatesville had a chance to break through against Lucas in the top of the fourth when Anthony Boccio and Dane Groce led off with singles. Jimmy Limper reached on a fielders choice to put men on first and second with one out. But Limper was caught off first base on a nice play by Henderson catcher James Vito and Lucas escaped the jam.
“I bear down a little more in those situations,” Lucas said. “I breathe deep and take a little more time. I knew our offense would start getting those men on base home. I have a lot of confidence in our offense one through 10.”
With the score still 1-0, Coatesville tried to rally in the top of the fifth. Corey Kovatch led off with a sharp single to left field. and reached second on a nice sacrifice bunt by Tyler Rigby. After Tyler Camille grounded out, Lucas walked Trey Tobiuns and Cole Rupp and Henderson coach Luke McNichol went to the bullpen for Brendan Gray. Gray got Boccio to pop out to first base and the Red Raiders would not threaten to score again.
After escaping the Red Raider threat in the top of the fifth, Henderson broke through against reliever Cam Trego in the bottom of the inning. The Warriors pounded out three runs on four hits, the big blow being a two-run single by sophomore Casey Caulfield and the Warriors broke things open at 4-0. Brady Bash, who had two hits and an RBI while playing left field instead of his usual spot as the Warriors’ ace pitcher, said he knew his teammates would come through.
“We have a lot of confidence in our offense,” Bash said. “And Coatesville’s starter was good. He did a nice job on us when we had men on base. He moved the ball around well. I bring the same concentration level to the field that I do when I pitch and it is good to get to swing the bat.”
With Coatesville coach Hal Ziegler going deep into his bullpen in the sixth inning, Henderson poured it on as the Warriors put together six runs on four hits and were aided by two Coatesville errors and three walks by Red Raider pitchers.
“We did a better job later in the game getting hits with men on base,” West Chester Henderson coach Luke McNichol said. “We did a better job with our at bats later in the game but early in the game I thought the Coatesvile pitcher did a nice job of getting out of those jams.”
The loss was the second in a row for the Red Raiders, who play four games this week, and the frustration was evident on the face of skipper Ziegler.
“We just keep killing ourselves with physical and mental errors and it has to stop,” Ziegler said. “We went with some guys we may have not gone to today because we have four games this week and we will need pitchers.”