Downingtown East survives OJR, 2-1

UWCHLAN >> Wednesday afternoon’s District 1 Class 6A playoff game had everything a baseball fan would want: Two great pitching performances, good plays in the field, and a thrilling bottom of the seventh inning.

In the end, Downingtown East advanced to Friday’s second round when Owen J. Roberts catcher Jordan Siket’s throw went into right field as he tried to complete a 1-2-3 double play, sending Downingtown East runner Ryan Fick scampering across the plate for a thrilling 2-1 Cougar victory. Downingtown East will now play at No. 4 Methacton Friday at 4 p.m.

The error ended a sterling pitching performance from both starters. Downingtown East lefty Grant Umberger overcame some early inning wildness and pitched brilliantly, allowing the 12th-seeded Wildcats (15-8) just two hits, both by Wildcat pitcher Sam Morris. Umberger walked five batters and struck out five in his seven innings of work.

Equally impressive was Morris, as the OJR sophomore went the whole way for the Wildcats and allowed the potent Downingtown East attack just three hits, while striking out six and not walking a batter. Morris featured a live fastball that was set up by some good breaking balls and he kept the Cougars at bay most of the day.

“I really cannot say enough about the way Sammy pitched for us today,” Owen J. Roberts coach Greg Gilbert said. “He kept them off balance with his three pitches and he got ahead of the hitters all game. He had great command today and they were off balance against him and he kept his pitch count down.”

But as dominant as Morris was, Downingtown East took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Albert Choi took a Morris fastball deep over the left field fence for a 1-0 Cougar lead. OJR came right back in the top of the second against Umberger.

Ryan Sayers led off the second inning by drawing a walk, and Dave Bealer did the same, to put two men on with no one out. Ben Diamond laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to put men on second and third with one out, and the Wildcats tied the game when Jon Hannevig hit an RBI ground ball to second to make it a 1-1 game.

But that would be all for the Wildcats. Umberger only walked two more batters after the second inning, and allowed just one more hit, a Morris single in the top the sixth. Umberger said it was something pitching coach Steve Fredrick said to him that resulted in better control.

“Well, coach Freddy said a few things to me that ticked me off,” Umberger said. “From there I started to really bear down, and I started to get my changeup over and I started to dominate. And I had faith my teammates would come through, but I just worry about my job and not what the offense is doing. The first one is that hardest, and I think we have the talent to make a run in these playoffs.”

The game stayed tied at 1-1, as both starters were in a real groove.

Downingtown East (16-4) had something going in the bottom of the sixth as Cam Reichlin led off and roped a double to right field. But, Morris struck out the dangerous Choi and got Zach Burton and Tommy Ajjan to end the threat, and that set up the seventh inning Cougar heroics.

The winning rally started early as Cougar leadoff man Connor Lynch roped a double to left field. Collin Hickey came in to run for Lynch and went to third when Will Vincent laid down a sacrifice bunt. Morris hit Ryan Fick with a pitch to bring up Dave Owsik. Owsik hit a grounder to short, but Wildcat shortstop Jack Reinheimer was able to keep Hickey at third, and the Cougars had the bases loaded with one out.

Matt Vitali came up and worked the count to 2-2 before hitting a one-hopper back to Morris, who came directly home for the force. Siket then wheeled and tried to cut down Vitali heading to first, but his throw bounced into right field, and the Cougars celebrated their tight 2-1 win.

“We were going to safety squeeze but we have not bunted in a long time,” Downingtown East coach Pete Susi said. “They say in the playoffs the first one is the toughest and this was tough. Grant came on because we told him if he didn’t start throwing strikes we were going to bring in David Ferguson. But, he came back and pitched great for us when we needed it.”