Morales dominant in 3 playoff starts
Morales dominant through three playoff starts
Jordan Morales had a great senior season on the mound and at the plate for Souderton Area in 2019.
The left-hander earned first team All-Suburban One League Continental Conference for his pitching and third team as an outfielder.
As the competition has stepped up in the postseason, Morales has gotten even better.
After a first-round bye, the Indians opened their playoff run with a 2-1 win over Spring-Ford in the District 1 playoffs. Morales started and pitched into the seventh inning before closing in on the 100-pitch mark and exiting after a walk. He allowed one run while striking out 10 batters.
“I don’t think I was at my best,” he said after the game. “My nerves got to me. I tried to compete and look for clutch hits.”
His next outing was against Methacton in the District 1 playback bracket. He threw all seven innings in another 2-1 win, allowing the lone run on five hits. He struck out 11 batters to two walks.
After Souderton clinched a spot in the state tournament, Morales took the mound in the opener against District 12 and Philadelphia Catholic League champion La Salle College High School. He
threw another complete game to lead the Indians to a 7-1 win. He struck out 12 batters to one walk and surrendered five hits.
“I think I spotted fastballs away and I was throwing my curveball,” Morales said after the win. “My curveball was pretty on today.”
Morales and Souderton’s other starting pitcher, Luke Taylor, have allowed eight total runs through six postseason starts.
“I’ll take them any day,” Indians coach Mike Childs said after the win over Spring-Ford. “On the mound, Morales is our leader.”
Overall, he is 3-0 in three playoff appearances. In 20 innings he’s allowed three runs and tallied 33 strikeouts.
Morales has also been getting it done with his bat throughout the playoffs, especially in the last three games.
In their District 1 fifthplace 15-1 win over Garnet Valley, Morales reached base twice and scored two runs.
In the state opener against La Salle, he was 2-for-4 with a home run and a double. He scored two runs and knocked in two runs.
“We’re doing pretty well right now and we just wanna keep rolling,” Morales said after that win. They certainly did.
In the following round in the state quarterfinals, Souderton dominated Plymouth Whitemarsh, 111. Morales gave his side the lead with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second inning. Later in the game he had an RBI single.
The La Salle Universitybound pitcher could have another chance to prove himself Tuesday in the PIAA Class 6A semifinals. He’s expected to get the ball against District 1 champion Neshaminy and their First Team All-SOL National Conference pitcher Dan Errigo. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Boyertown’s Bear Stadium.
Morales pitched against the Redskins earlier this season. He came on in relief and allowed one hit in two scoreless innings.