Boyertown bumped from state playoff berth
Eliason makes amends, earns Downingtown West final state berth at Boyertown’s expense
CHESTER » Tommy Eliason stepped into the batter’s box Thursday knowing he owed his teammates something.
“A hit, a deep fly ball, a grounder to the right. Anything,” the Downingtown West junior said.
A half-inning after the shortstop committed a two-run error that leveled the game entering the bottom of the seventh, Eliason delivered the gamewinning bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right field to give Downingtown West a 4-3 win over Boyertown during the District 1 Class 6A fifth-place playback game at Widener University.
“I came into the dugout and the team had my back,” said Eliason. “They picked me up. Quite frankly, I was kind of mad but I got an opportunity and I took it.”
With the win, Downingtown West advances to the PIAA Class 6A playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Whippets (20-4 overall) will face District 3 champion Cumberland Valley on Monday afternoon at Northern High School (Dillsburg) at 4:30 p.m. Boyertown’s spring comes to a close at 18-7 overall, the Bears now missing the PIAA playoffs for the second straight season after winning the state title in 2016.
Downingtown West starter Jake Reece had the Bears handcuffed for most of the afternoon. The senior left-hander lasted into the seventh inning where he was pulled after exceeding the 100-pitch count. He left the game with a 3-0 lead — thanks to a three-run blast from Eric Grintz in the bottom of the third — with an out and a man on first before Boyertown put together a three-run rally.
For his outing, he allowed just two hits — both of which came during the top of the first inning — to go along with four walks and seven strikeouts.
“I was mixing it up,” said Reece, who has a fastball, curve, slider and change-up in his arsenal. “My inside fastball was
seventh, though, Reece’s day was done. After the lefty took the long walk from mound to dugout, the Bears did some walking themselves.
Boyertown’s Mike Martin and Jake DiCesare worked consecutive walks to load up the bases before Gavin Henderson rolled one to short to get Levengood across and make it 3-1.
Then with two down and men on second and third, Quinn Mason rolled one between Eliason’s legs, plating two runs and evening up the game at 3-3.
“That was tough for him, we all knew that. It was a pressure situation but it happens on all levels,” said Oleszek. “Like we told him, mistakes are gonna happen, You’ve got to move on to the next play.”
Stephen Posner and Dylan DiRocco opened up the bottom half with consecutive walks before Willenbrock laid down a pearl of a bunt to load up the bases.
After Williams laid down a bunt to the pitcher that nearly plated Posner and ended it, Eliason stepped into the batter’s box looking to make amends.
“I needed to get a run back for us,” he said. “I couldn’t let my teammates down.”
Eliason connected on a 3-1 pitch and sent it to right field, deep enough that DiRocco could jog in after tagging up from third to end it.
“I’m sure right now,” said Oleszek, “he’s thinking more about the sac fly more than the error. I’m proud of him and all of these guys.”
NOTES » Nolan Kline was strong in relief for Boyertown, pitching two innings where he didn’t let up a hit or a walk. … Willenbrock finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI for West while Eliason had a double, a run scored and an RBI.