Local squads take positives from regional tournament experience
Berks County League representatives Norchester and Boyertown and Schuylkill-Berks League teams Muhlenberg and Post 625 certainly had their work cut out for them in the Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball Region 2 Tournament at Bear Stadium that concluded on July 23. Among the eight teams in the field were undefeated South Parkland and Souderton, which featured the bulk of the players from the PIAA Class 6A championship team.
Those two powerful squads, who eventually made it to the championship game, proved to be the class of the tournament with South Parkland taking a 3-0 win and earning a berth in the state tournament.
But Berks County champion Norchester played well while finishing third and Boyertown certainly had some encouraging moments after suffering a disappointing loss in the opening round.
“We came out and competed,” said Norchester manager Rick Harrison. “In the five-day tournament, we used nine pitchers and every player had significant playing time. All I’m going to do is look at the tournament as a positive outlook. I’m proud of the guys.”
“I think there was a lot of parity with five or six teams,” said Boyertown manager Rick Moatz. “I consider us right on the cusp of that. South Parkland and Souderton are very good hitting teams. On top of that, they have excellent top pitchers and depth besides. That’s a formula for success in a tournament.”
Berks County champion Norchester (30-8) defeated Northampton County champion the Wanderers 7-3 in nine innings in the opening round last Friday. The Bulldogs allowed a tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Jordan Siket singled home the go-ahead run with two
out in the ninth, Ryan Sayers knocked in two with a single and Jack Rinehimer singled in another.
Then Sam Morris, the Berks County MVP, threw a four-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 3-0 win over BuxMont regular season and playoff winner Souderton, sending Norchester into the winners’ bracket final against 22-0 South Parkland, the Lehigh Valley champion.
The Bulldogs led by a run heading into the bottom of the seventh as Ryan Glenn and Brad Pryor combined to hold the Trojans to four hits and an unearned run. But South Parkland scored two for a 3-2 win with the help of a leadoff hit batter and an outfield error. Alex Oliver lofted a game-winning sacrifice fly to right with the bases loaded and one out.
Norchester bounced back
AUSTIN HERTZOG - MEDIANEWS GROUP
Norchester’s Sam Morris, right, scores his team’s first run as Wanderers catcher Andre Ledee can’t corral the throw during the Pa. Region 2 tournament at Boyertown on July 19.
AUSTIN HERTZOG - MEDIANEWS GROUP
Boyertown’s Nolan Kline delivers a pitch against Souderton during the Pa. Region 2 tournament at Boyertown on July 21.
with a 7-1 win in eight innings against the Wanderers after again allowing a tying run in the bottom of the seventh. Jake Iyoob lined a two-run double to break the tie, Siket and Sayers
singled home runs and Rinehimer finished the big inning with a two-run single. Jack Schnell threw six innings in relief for the win in a game that had been suspended due to rain the
AUSTIN HERTZOG - MEDIANEWS GROUP AUSTIN HERTZOG - MEDIANEWS GROUP
Norchester pitcher Dan Stofko delivers to the plate against Wanderers during the Pa. Region 2 tournament at Boyertown on July 19.
day before.
Then Norchester couldn’t take advantage of its scoring opportunities on Tuesday in a season-ending 4-1 loss to Souderton.The Bulldogs stranded 10 runners, including three in the fifth after loading the bases with one out and then having the next two batters strike out against Jake Horton.
Norchester still had a chance in the top of the seventh after a leadoff walk to Iyoob and a one-out single by Norris, but a pop to first and a strikeout ended the game.
“I felt we were in the game until the very end,” said Harrison. “I felt we were going to pull it out.”
The Bulldogs had also made it to the final four teams in 2016 and 2017.
“It’s pretty devastating,” said 19-year-old pitcher Dan Stofko, who started the