Campbell’s twoway play lifts Plymouth past Collegeville

NORRISTOWN » Plymouth is still alive and swingin,’ thanks in large part to Nate Campbell.

The Spring-Ford grad was a major presence for the Diamonds in Game Three Thursday night, both at the plate and behind it.

“I felt good behind there and hitting. I felt really calm,” the catcher said. “I just went out and played.

“We needed this game, push the series along. We just needed to play.”

Plymouth’s 8-2 victory over Collegeville would force a Game Four on Friday, back at Norristown High for a 5:45 p.m. start. Campbell went 2-for-3 with a run and three RBIs to give the sixthseeded Diamonds a boost.

After John Wagner, David Smith and Mike Hutchinson all drew walks off White Sox starter Christian Argentieri to get the Di

amonds going in the first, Campbell ripped a hardhit ball up the middle — just off the reaching glove of shortstop Cole Luzins — that made it through to the outfield, scoring two to give Plymouth a quick 2-0 lead over the third-seeded White Sox.

“We needed to get those runs,” Campbell said, “to put the pressure on them.”

Collegeville came back, tying the game at two apiece in the third. One run scored on an error and another came across off an RBI single by Lenny Del Grippo.

But Plymouth was quick to break the deadlock.

Campbell’s one-out double hugged the left-field line and gave the Diamonds life. He came around to score on an error and then John Wagner and A.J. Hansen each provided RBI singles to further pad the lead, making it 5-2.

The hits continued in the fifth, as David Smith and Mike Hutchinson led off with back-to-back singles. Owen Lawn’s sac fly moved Smith over, and Campbell’s sac fly to right drove him in, extending the margin to 6-2.

A sac fly by Wagner in the sixth and a solo homer to left by Hutchinson in the seventh provided the final margin.

The White Sox were never able to cut into the lead due to the right arm of Jerry Magnan, who went the distance, not allowing a hit in the final four innings.

“He was amazing tonight,” Campbell said of Magnan. “He was pitching really well, hitting his spots, working those batters and keeping them off balance. He was doing really well.”

Perky Playoffs First Round, Gm. 3 Plymouth 8, Collegeville 2

#6 Plymouth 2003111—892 #3

Collegeville 0020000—233

WP: Jerry Magnan (7IP, 2R, 2ER, 3H, 4K, 5BB, 1HBP).

LP: Ben Lippincott (4IP, 6R, 3ER, 8H, 0K, 0BB).

HR: P-Mike Hutchinson. 2B: P-Nate Campbell, Mike Gama.

Multiple hits: P-A.J. Hansen 2-for-4, RBI; Hutchinson 2-for-3, BB, 2R, RBI; Campbell 2-for-3, R, 3RBI.