Devon holds back Black, Serra in 2A
Winners’ tough call works out perfectly
Plus more PIAA title-game highlights
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Pitch to Mark Black or intentionally walk him?
Like all Serra’s other foes, the opponent Friday had a decision to make, one that more often than not has ended with the powerful slugger receiving free passes this postseason.
“I know the kid is really good, but we attack hitters. That’s the philosophy we have,” Devon Prep coach Mark Aquilante said.
Well, with one exception.
“I told the kids last night we’re pitching to this kid unless it comes down to the end of the game and it makes sense not to,” Aquilante added.
It did come down to that. Devon Prep walked him. Two pitches later, it won a PIAA title.
Devon Prep kept Black from having a major impact offensively, got an outstanding performance from relief pitcher Andrew Czachor, and held on to beat Serra, 3-2, in the PIAA Class 2A championship at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
The Eagles (23-4), which was seeking their second PIAA title, were down to their last out and didn’t have anyone on base until No. 9 hitter Jayden Mertz doubled in the top of the seventh. Sure, Serra’s first extra-base hit of the game put the tying run in scoring position, but it also took the bat out of the hands of Black, a junior catcher who came into the game with 14 home runs.
In his previous three at-bats, Black walked — after hitting a blast to left that narrowly went foul — popped out and struck out looking. This time, he was intentionally walked for the 18th time in the postseason.
“I think if Jayden Mertz would have singled, they would have pitched to Mark and I don’t think he wouldn’t have missed the next time. I wish he would have stopped at first base is what I was kind of hoping for,” Serra coach Brian Dzurenda said.
That brought up Alex Glumac, who fouled off a pitch before grounding out to Czachor to end the game.
Czachor, the starting shortstop, relieved starting sophomore Tommy Kent with one out in the first and his team already trailing by two runs. Black drew a lead-off walk, stole second and scored on Pat Brennan’s single, and Nico Eremic added a run-scoring single to stake Serra to that 2-0 lead.
But with Czachor on the hill, rallying was an uphill battle too steep for Serra to climb. Czachor, a senior and High Point recruit, gave up only three hits the rest of the way. In all, he went 6⅔ innings, striking out 10 and walking one.
“He threw high, hard strikes,” Dzurenda said. “Our kids were having difficulty catching up to the high strikes, and it was kind of tempting to them.”
Devon Prep scored single runs in the first, second and third. Czachor’s sacrifice fly scored Aaron Nuble, Jack Eshleman scored on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Romano, and Jackson Jonik’s RBI double scored Czachor.
Glumac was the starting pitcher for Serra, giving up three runs in two innings. Logan Exler relieved him and allowed two hits in four scoreless innings.
Devon Prep finished the season 12-13, but the record is deceiving. It joined the Philadelphia Catholic League this season and played many of its games against teams from larger classifications.
Black said that playing competition like that likely played a role in Devon Prep attacking him.
“I felt like they were going to give me some at-bats this game,” said Black. “They’ve been playing higher classifications all year, so I was hoping they were going to pitch to me and they did. It just didn’t go our way.”