Stealing Thunder
Exeter makes easy work of undermanned Daniel Boone, 12-4
BIRDSBORO » It’s a safe bet Daniel Boone’s batters were more than happy to see Nick Klee exit from the mound during Saturday’s game.
Exeter’s starter was relieved of his pitching duties in the fifth inning of this Berks County League matchup at Boone’s Optimist Field. Klee, who completed his senior season at Exeter High this spring, had a two-hit shutout going at the time he was replaced by Colin Gehringer.
Of course, there was a legitimate reason for the move in the course of the Blue Jays’ ultimate 12-4 victory over the Orioles.
“I want him to pitch Tuesday (against Shillington),” Exeter manager Troy Spiers explained. “We want as many starts as we can get out of him.”
Two encounters with Klee in the span of a week was Boone’s unenviable fate. The O’s saw him this past Monday, and they were saddled by a four-hit, eight-strikeout 9-1 loss.
“We’ve struggled against him,” DB skipper Mike Barbera noted. “He’s doing something well against us.”
Boone (3-4) celebrated the mound-to-first base switch between Klee and Gehringer by shaking out of their game-long of-
fensive funk. They cut into the Jays’ nine-run lead by scoring three time off Gehringer — in the process, ending Exeter’s bid to effect a “mercy rule” finish — and once more against Deavor Koch, who ended up finishing out the sixth and seventh.
“When Klee went out, the momentum picked up,” Barbera noted. “We were seeing the ball better.”
Victor Gonzalez and Brett Goodrich each collected pairs of hits off the Blue Jay relievers, Goodrich (2-for-4) driving Gonzalez (double) home to start off the sixth. Goodrich score, in turn when Christian Dekker smacked a two-run single to right that also plated Josh Piccarreta (walk).
Boone’s first run was set up by Piccarreta doubling to left off Klee, becoming the last batter the Blue Jays’ southpaw would face in the game. Gehringer got off to a slow start, walking Michael Bishop, Dekker and Matt Stevens in succession to force Piccarreta home.
“Nick Klee was outstanding,” Spiers said. “He threw only 40 pitches. American Legion ball has a pitch-count rule similar to the high school.”
Boone’s pitching posture was effectively bent by Exeter’s 15-hit offense, which clubbed six doubles and saw five batters finish with multiple hits. The Jays (3-6) scored twice in their first at-bat, added four more in a third-inning bataround, then combined for six more over the last four frames.
Alex Barlow was particularly hot, going 5-for-5 and driving in three runs out of the third spot. Exeter’s right fielder had two of his team’s two-baggers to his credit, in addition to scoring twice.
“We really like his approach at the plate,” Spiers said. “He’s staying in the zone, hitting the pitches he wants.”
Andrew Barlow complemented a 3-for-5, three-run plate showing with a heady steal of home plate in the third for Exeter’s sixth run of the game. Julian Torres and Jon Lach (two RBI) each went 2-for-4 with doubles, and Nate Serba doubled as part of his 2-for-5 outing.
“We’re getting a lot more team at-bats,” Spiers said.