Patience pays off for Ambler
LANSDALE » Ambler only managed five hits in Monday night’s Perkiomen Valley Twilight League game against Lansdale, but the Brewers used small ball and patience at the plate to pick up their first win of the season, 6-5 in eight innings, at Weaver Field.
Ambler (1-1) worked nine walks over the course of the game, but seven came in the first two innings. Brett Reynolds and Bob Drozdowski walked to start the game before Jason Mills’ single scored Reynolds. Jim Fasano grounded out to score Drozdownski and Nick Fasano brought home Mills to give the visitors a quick 3-0 lead.
The top of the second inning started with four of the first five batters working walks. Sam Plaugher scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1 and, with two outs, Reynolds extended the Brewers lead to four runs when he scored from third on a wild pitch.
“It was 1-2 when Nick (Fasano) was batting when I scored there,” Reynolds said. “I said to our third base coach, ‘I’m going to get a big lead here, I expect (the pitcher) to throw it a little too hard,’ which is kind of what I felt like he did. He buried it in the dirt and it just got away from the catcher enough for me to score. Just by luck — one foot closer to him and I probably get out.”
In the eighth inning, Ambler used small-ball to score what turned out to be the game-winning run. Chris Kersey bunted Plaugher to third with no outs and Reynolds hit a ground ball up the middle to score Plaugher and make it a 6-5 game.
“I just wanted to put the ball in play,” Reynolds said. “I haven’t been swinging the bat too well, so I’m just trying to make contact, put the ball in play. I like to keep the ball in the middle of the field — it’s a higher percentage — get a ground ball in the middle and make them make a play. Sammy (Plaugher) has great speed at third and he was going on contact. I was just beating the ball
down up the middle. I was just looking to get Sammy home. It was just enough to get Sammy to squeeze in there.”
Ambler ended the game in the bottom of the eighth by turning a double play on a deep fly ball to right field and doubling off the base runner at second base. BOUNCING BACK » Lansdale (1-3) got back into the game after falling behind 5-1 in the top of the second inning.
Starting pitcher Nick McCully found the strike zone and went all eight innings — walking just two batters over the final six innings after giving seven free passes in the first two frames. McCully struck out seven batters and allowed five hits.
Offensively, Lansdale totaled 13 hits to dig their way out of an early deficit. Zac Hess tallied an RBI single in the first inning before Paschal Petrongolo hit a solo home run in the
third. Justin Massielo and Matt Cavagnaro each had RBIs later in the game before Chad Evans scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, 5-5, in the bottom of the sixth.
“I fully expected that,” Tigers manager Jeff Murtha said. “We’re a good hitting team. We come out every night and we expect to put five-six-seven runs up on the board. You saw my demeanor all game — I was relaxed. I knew we were going to hit, but it shows you the importance of the first couple innings and getting off to a strong start — they can make or break you. Tonight we battled, we just need to be a little tighter in the first couple innings.”
MAN ON SECOND » The Perkiomen Valley Twilight League is following Major League Baseball’s lead and putting a runner on second to start extra innings.
It worked out for Ambler, as Kersey bunted Plaugher to third to set up Reynolds’ game-winning RBI.
“Chris Kersey is one of our better hitters and an outstanding bunter,” Ambler
manager Pete Moore said. “He comes from a high school program renowned for their bunting abilities in North Penn and you know he’s going to be able to get the job done. Then you have a veteran like Brett up right behind him that you know is going to put the ball in play and give you a chance to score a run. (Bunting) was a no-brainer for us.”
Lansdale tried the same approach, but wasn’t able to get a bunt down. The failed bunt attempt resulted in a strikeout before the gameending double play.
“It’s interesting,” Murtha said of the new rule. “It’s great — especially on a field like this where you have to be off by 10:30 to make sure you don’t end in a tie. It’s interesting from a coaching dynamic. The play is to bunt there every single time. You either draw the infield up or you walk the next guy to get the double play. It’s unique. We didn’t lose that game in the eighth inning, we lost it in the first two.”
YOUNG PITCHERS IMPRESS » Ambler was happy with the
performances from pitchers Pat Woltemate and Nick Fossile. Woltemate started and struck out four batters to no walks while allowing three runs on nine hits in five innings. Fossile tallied the win, surrendering two runs on four hits over three innings while striking out two batters to no walks.
“It was Pat’s first game with us here in the Perky League,” Moore said. “I’ve played with Pat in the Pendel League for a couple years now so I know what he has. I was excited to add his arm to our staff. Lansdale is one of the best hitting teams in the league … He came in that first inning and gave up a couple hits, but kept his composure. He’s a savvy pitcher for a kid his age. He really understands the game and knows what he wants to do.
“(Fossile) has probably gained six-seven miles per hour on his fastball and his breaking ball plays off that much better. I was very happy with two young guys coming out and throwing how they did today.”