Reese, Reiben help Downingtown blank Caln

DOWNINGTOWN » The American Legion baseball schedule can be a grueling one, often consisting five or six games a week. Throw in the recent steamy weather and it can be a battle of attrition.

Monday night at a sweltering Downingtown West High School, the worn down Downingtown Diamond Dawgs kept up their winning ways as Jake Reese and Carter Reiben combined on a nifty five hitter as the Dawgs defeated Caln, 2-0, to stay in second place, a game behind Spring City in the league standings.

Evan Williams led the way for the Diamond Dawgs (12-2) with two hits, including a leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth inning off Jake Monaghan. Williams would score the first Downingtown run, which turned out to be the winning run of the game.

“The worst part of the schedule is the hot weather,” Williams said. “It really drains you but all we need are nine guys to show up and the talent on this team takes over. We have real good leadership on this team and the guys all play really hard. On the double I hit a curveball that hung and got good wood on it.”

Reese and Monaghan were locked in a pitchers duel through three innings with Monaghan not allowing Downingtown a hit through the first three frames. But, it came undone for Caln (9-9) in the fourth inning. Williams led off with hard hit double to left field that was followed by a Andrew Ciliberto single to put men on first and third with no one out. Then Caln gave the Dawgs a gift. Mike Mollenhauer hit a pop up in the infield that was surrounded by three Caln players. The ball was not caught and it dropped to the dirt, allowing the bases to be loaded with none out.

But, Monaghan almost escaped the jam. The Caln hurler struck out Kevin Small for the first out and got Harrison Jonik to pop out for the second out. But, on a 3-2 pitch to Matt Pancoast, Monaghan missed, and the hit scored Williams for a 1-0 Downingtown lead. Reiben followed by stroking a fastball to center for an RBI single and it was a 2-0 Downingtown advantage.

Caln had its chances offensively as the Seabees had runners on base in five of the seven innings but could not cash in. In the top of the fourth, Cole Rupp led off with a double but Caleb Hershey popped up a bunt attempt for the first out and Reese struck out Jonah Conway and got Matt Duca to ground out to keep the shutout intact.

“That is the name of the game,” Caln coach Lance Ziegler said. “When you get men on base you have to get the big hit to score those guys and tonight we did not get the big hit.”

Reiben pitched well in the sixth inning but Caln loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning on a walk, a single by Monaghan and a hit batter. Caln had the bases juiced with two out but Reiben got Trey Tobinus to ground out and Downingtown had a 2-0 victory. Caln left nine runners on base agains the two Downingtown pitchers.

“The schedule is very tough,” Downingtown coach Scott Rambo said. “We play six games this week nd we have guys playing out of position and pitchers who do not usually pitch. then, the heat is wearing everybody out but this team keeps finding ways to wind you saw that again tonight. We have great leadership on this team and I hope it keeps going.”