Thunderstruck
Storms spoil semifinal day for PAC baseball, softball
In a statement muttered far too often this spring season, Mother Nature had some different plans for the Mercury’s local sports scene on Tuesday evening.
Heavy thunderstorms and a tornado warning rolled into the area, forcing the postponement of both the baseball and softball Pioneer Athletic Conference playoff semifinals as well as several lacrosse teams’ District 1 playoff openers.
In baseball, the early game between topseeded Spring-Ford and No. 4 Boyertown was postponed heading into the bottom of the second inning with Rams due up and the score tied 0-0. Both teams will return to Bear Stadium where the game is slated to pick back up at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Boyertown starter Mike Hohlfeld is expected to return to the mound with just 15 pitches to his credit while Spring-Ford will need to turn to relief for Jake Skrocki, who threw 38 pitches and requires a day of rest due to pitch-count regulations.
In the nightcap, No. 3 Methacton will take on No. 2 Phoenixville at 7 p.m. with the Phantoms making their first PAC playoff appearance since 2013.
Softball
No. 4 seed Methacton and top-seeded Spring-Ford played six full innings of their PAC semifinal at Spring-Ford Tuesday afternoon.
The slate will still be clean when they resume on Wednesday at 5 p.m. after the game was tied 0-0 entering the top of the seventh inning before a weather postponement.
The first six innings were a speedy pitch-
ers’ duel between Methacton’s Aubrey Seal and Spring-Ford’s Sam Lindsay. Seal allowed just one hit and zero walks while striking out four. Lindsay settled in after a rocky first inning and allowed four hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
Methacton threatened in the first inning with bases loaded and zero outs after Seal, Carley Sorber and Abby Penjuke all singled to open the game. But Lindsay induced two infield fly balls before getting a strikeout to end the threat.
The other semifinal between No. 3 Owen J. Roberts and Frontier Division champion Upper Perkiomen will follow at SpringFord at 7 p.m.
Lacrosse
In boys lacrosse action, the District 1-AA lacrosse opener between PAC foes Pope John Paul II and Phoenixville came to a halt late in the third period with PJP holding a 6-2 lead. The game will resume 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Phoenixville.
In boys Class AAA action, neither Boyertown nor Perkiomen Valley had the chance to get their district playoff openers underway. The rain moved in just as Boyertown lined up for the opening face-off against Council Rock North while Perkiomen Valley’s 7 p.m. start against Neshaminy was wiped clean. Both games are slated to be played on Wednesday. Perk Valley will host Neshaminy at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Ursinus College.
Less than a week after winning the PAC girls lacrosse championship during a weather-delayed two-day matchup against Boyertown, Owen J. Roberts again faced weather issues on Tuesday.
The No. 9-seeded Wildcats’ District One Class AAA opener against PAC foe No. 24 Spring-Ford was postponed to Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Elsewhere, No. 12 Perkiomen Valley’s opener against No. 21 North Penn was pushed back to Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Ursinus College, the first game of a Vikings’ doubleheader.
In Class AA action, Pope John Paul II’s opener against Mount Saint Joseph Academy was pushed back to Wednesday at 4 p.m. while Phoenixville will travel to face Interboro at 7 p.m.