Lionville stuns Spring City, 8-1

Its season has been extended by virtue of hosting the Pa. Region Three tournament later this month.

But Lionville’s American Legion baseball team wants to be in the mix due to its on-field credentials. The Hillcats took a major step in that direction Saturday when they handled Spring City, 8-1, in the second round of the Chester County League playoffs at Ram Stadium.

Keyed by Scott Jewett’s complete-game pitching and an opportunistic plate effort, fifthseeded Lionville controlled the Red Sox. It qualified for a berth in Sunday’s winners’ bracket game, facing second-seeded neighboring rival Downingtown.

“This is a great tournament,” Lionville manager Brett Mariani said after seeing his team overturn top-seeded Spring City. “We want to prove we belong in regionals by winning it.”

The ’Cats made their Saturday statement, in large part, by applying the time-tested strategy of making an opposing pitcher labor under hot weather conditions. Though collecting just 10 hits on the day — four in their first three at-bats — the visitors worked seven walks, a hit batter and two sacrifice hits while bolting to a seven-run lead in that span.

“This is definitely not the game I expected,” SC skipper Mike Gancasz said of the Sox’ reversal of fortunes from a 10-0 romp over Oxford Friday. “We couldn’t get anything going on offense. We gave up too many walks, and they beat us soundly.”

Held to just three hits, the Red Sox’ offensive highlight of the day came in the bottom of the fourth inning. J.C. Reed (walk) scoring off a wild pitch after getting to third when Thomas Hughes’ infield hit was misplayed.

Otherwise, Spring City had little else to cheer about in the field. A potential firstinning run was cut down by Lionville second-baseman Ryan Fick’s throw to the plate after a Ryan Harvey at-bat, and a 5-4-3 double play took the Sox out of a promising sixth.

“We gave them easy outs,” Gancasz said. “We flew out five times. We like to put the ball on the ground and make teams work.

“The double play was a morale-killer, too.”

Lionville small-balled its way to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Forcing Red Sox starting pitcher Jake Skrocki into a 42-pitch frame, the Hillcats waited out three walks and benefited from a hit batter (Ben Bates) to score.

Bates and Austin Taylor (walk) forced Joe Hurley and Luke Moran home, respectively, off full-bag situations.

“When it’s hot, we want to make the opposing pitcher work,” Mariani said. “The more, the better.”

With a full bataround in the third, the Hillcats went up 7-0 on the Red Sox. While getting just three hits, Lionville got two runs off James Murray’s fielders choice hit to third - the subsequent relay throw hitting off baserunner Tommy Hammett and going out of play, enabling Hurley to score from second — after Moran singled in Will Peiffer.

With another run in the fifth, the ‘Cats chased Skrocki in favor of Kevin Hynes. Austin Taylor singled home Murray, who led off with a hit and moved to second on Eric Ercolani’s sacrifice bunt.

“Being patient at the plate is good,” Mariani said. “That was our approach early: Get big hits after waiting them out.”

Jewett was able to avoid the pitfall Skrocki faced. He yielded just four walks and got a complte game logged in 107 pitches; Skrocki, by comparison, was done two outs into the fifth after hitting the 103-pitch mark.

“I was pounding the zone with my fastball,” he said. “They hit around but to fielders.”

On the basis of past history, Jewett was happy to see his hitters get a big lead early on Spring City.

“We’ve played them quite a few times over the years,” he said. “We learned you can’t let them hang around ... that’s what their hitters do. We had to get on them early and not let them come back.”

Spring City will look to stay alive in the CCL tourney when it hosts Westtown 1 p.m. Sunday. The Locomotive advanced in the losers’ bracket with a 12-2 win over Paoli.

“This is a good opportunity for us to get a win back on Day Four,” Gancasz said. “I think we’re resilient enough to bounce back in the next game.”

NOTES » Spring City’s hitting was provided in equal measure by Brad Clemens, Andrew Huang and Coy Walters . ... Hynes gave the Sox two innings of one-hit relief, striking out two and walking three. Clemens took over on the mound with two out in the seventh and closed out the game . ... Tommy Hammett, 3-for4, was the Hillcats’ most prolific hitter. Murray and Bates chipped in with two RBI apiece behind Taylor’s three.