Doylestown breaks out the bats
Donnelly has 4 hits in win
NORTH WALES » All Friday evening, Doylestown bats stayed wide awake, racking up 14 hits and slugging their way through the Bux-Mont Connie Mack A Playoffs.
“Our bats were more alive more than usual,” said a smiling Tommy Donnelly. “We played as a team and now we get Hatfield Towamencin next.”
Doylestown pulled away to an 8-5 victory over Central Perk at Hostelley Field, advancing to a 6 p.m. Wednesday showdown at School Road Park against the Titans.
D-town jumped out to a 4-1 lead early, led by as much as 8-2, and held on for its most satisfying win of the summer thus far.
“I like our competitiveness. We’re always there for each other when we’re struggling,” Donnelly said.
GETTING GOING » Sixth-seeded Doylestown got the jump in its first at-bat.
Donnelly started things off by drawing a walk against CP starter Luke Ott, Tony DeMichael singled and Josh Shiller drew a walk to load the bases with one out.
Quinn Roche came through with a clutch single, scoring Don-
nelly, and with DeMichael racing home on an error on the play, the visitors were quickly ahead 2-0.
Central Perk responded in the bottom half with back-to-back doubles, courtesy of Andrew McGolden and Steve Giorgi to make it 2-1, but right hander Jack Carver settled in, keeping the lead intact.
Doylestown went right back at it in the second, with Carver blooping a single to center, Donnelly legging out an infield hit, and then Xavier Sjosstedt smacking one to shallow center to score two and push the lead to 4-1.
Donnelly was on his way to a four-hit night. He also had the leadoff walk in the first, reaching base all five times he stepped to the plate.
“We’re hitting well and making less errors in the field. And we’re getting the W’s,” he said of his squad, which had eight different players contribute hits.
Chase Gehringer singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch to bring No. 4 Central Perk within 4-2, but it was almost all Doylestown after that.
Josh Shiller came on to pitch three and a third scoreless innings for the visitors, and with the bats in full swing, the lead ballooned to 8-2.
Sjostedt and Harrison Yim had RBI hits in the fourth, and Donnelly belted a double in the fifth to drive in another. Donnelly (three runs, RBI) had his second double of the night in the seventh.
His contributions carrying over to the defensive side of things, Donnelly took the mound and recorded the final five outs.
Central Perk, not wanting a fine season to come to a close, got something going in its final at-bat, keyed by Andrew Beck’s double, but Donnelly closed things out.
“I just kept my composure and dialed in.” he said.