Exeter capitalizes on Daniel Boone’s errors in 8-4 win

In Thursday’s Berks County Legion game between Exeter and Daniel Boone at DB Optimist Field, the two teams’ ability to field the baseball decided the outcome of the game.

Daniel Boone’s four errors and four unearned runs cost the team in an 8-4 loss to Exeter.

“Definitely defense was the big difference,” Daniel Boone manager Mike Barbera said. “We actually outhit them 9-6. ... They had four unearned runs, so if you take away four it’s a tie game.”

The defensive woes for Daniel Boone started right away as Exeter leadoff man Clayton Douglas reached base on an error. Orioles pitcher Nick Dinnocenti escaped the inning unscathed, but he was not as lucky in the second inning.

With two outs and a runner on first Dinnoncenti fielded a groundball and sent his throw into right field. On the next play, third baseman Zach Brightbill followed by sending his throw to first in the same spot, and suddenly Daniel Boone trailed, 2-0.

Exeter used a two-run double from shortstop Chris Smith and an RBI single by Alex Barlow to tack on three more runs in the top of the third. An error and a balk in the fourth inning helped add three more runs and gave the Blue Jays an 8-0 lead.

“We had some guys playing where they don’t nor- mally play,” Barbera said. “They looked a little uncomfortable. We made some errors. We didn’t get to some balls that we should have got to, and it killed us in the beginning.”

While his offense put up runs, Exeter pitcher Dylan Richards stymied the Orioles’ offense. He allowed one hit and faced the minimum nine batters through the first three innings.

Daniel Boone broke through in the fourth inning when shortstop A. J. Carr started a rally with a one-out double. Centerfielder Sean Bologa, catcher Bryant Schwoyer and left fielder Steve Williams followed with hits to make the score 8-2.

Richards allowed two unearned runs in the seventh inning, but the early scoring by Exeter kept the game out of reach. The Blue Jays’ right-hander allowed two earned runs over seven innings of work. He was aided by a defense that turned two double plays and did not commit an error until the last inning

“I’m definitely a groundball pitcher, a big two-seam guy,” Richards said. “When it’s working you get a lot of ground balls, get a lot of double plays. It makes it easy.”

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Daniel Boone looked like it might knock Richards out of the game, but Richards picked off Caleb Nelson at first base to end the threat.

“That’s a play that those three guys that ran the play for us have been running for me since they were 15,” Exeter manager Anthony Fegely said. “I’m going to leave him out there in that situation every time because I know that’s the guy I want out on the mound.”

Bologa went 2-for-4 with a double in a single, while also knocking in three of the Orioles’ runs. Schwoyer, Carr and Brightbill also had two hits a piece.