Wayne takes Game 2 and leads Game 3

By Matthew DeGeorge, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., @sportsdoctormd on Twitter

POSTED: 08/09/18, 11:46 PM EDT 

NARBERTH >> Two days ago, lightning brought a halt to a Delco League finals game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Thursday, darkness did the trick. And the difference a game makes in the best-of-5 series is substantial, to say the least. 

Wayne got the only run in Thursday’s continuation of Game 2, a 1-0 win to knot the series, and it was five outs from a win in Game 3 over Narberth before fading daylight intervened, quelling a rally the Mudcats hope to restart Friday. 

Game 3 will resume Friday at Narberth Playground with one out, runners on first and third and the leadoff spot due up for Narberth, representing the tying run in an 8-5 game after Joe Lake’s two-run single. The series is tied at 1-1. 

It’s a lot to wrap your head around thanks to the early sunsets in the dog days of summer combined with fields with no lights. 

First, Game 2, which was suspended Tuesday night as storms rolled into Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. The game was scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, and Wayne (still the home team on the scoreboard) promptly broke the deadlock Thursday. 

Ed Paparella led off the sixth with a single against Joe Ravert, then took second on an outfield bobble. A groundball moved him to third for pinch-hitter Sean Mohollen, who was unavailable to play Tuesday, to rap a single and plate the only run. 

“For me, it’s just trying to swing early, swing often,” Mohollen said. “We knew Joey Ravert was coming in. We knew he throws hard. I saw him in Game 1, and he got me out on a fastball inside. I knew he was going to come back with the same kind of stuff and try to overpower me. We knew in the dugout when we saw him warming up we were going to try to get on him early and often, swinging at fastballs. 

“Eddie Paparella did a great job starting it off, getting on base, and then I just tried to do my best, get a fastball and go up there and hit it as good as I could.” 

That was all Matt Eiel needed. After escaping a jam in the top of the sixth Tuesday, the sidearm righty struck out the side in the seventh to nail down the win and even the series. 

Wayne manager Brian Fili decided to let Eiel ride in Game 3, and he responded by retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced before walks got the better of him in the fourth. 

“I was kind of itching to get out and pitch the top of the seventh since Tuesday night I was bummed that we got suspended like that,” Eiel said. “I was just trying my best to get the adrenaline back up because it was definitely pumping Tuesday night but having such a long layoff till the next pitch was tough. But having Paparella come up in the bottom of that sixth inning and get that base knock and then Mohollen knocks him in, that gets that adrenaline back, I’m right back in the moment.” 

The Wayne bats were plenty awake, eager to benefit from extra bases offered by an uncharacteristically sloppy Narberth defense. 

Dan Williams scored in the top of the first when Luke Zimmerman’s fly ball to center was dropped. In the third, Wayne tacked on two more, aided by a Matt Briner bloop single that third baseman Joe Lake threw wildly past second trying to get the force, allowing Kevin Mohollen to speed home. Briner would score on a Zimmerman sac fly to make it 3-0. 

“We weren’t awake, we weren’t alive at all in the start of Game 3,” Narberth manager/right fielder Steve DeBarberie said. “We were just playing defensively and hoping they would make mistakes, and not playing aggressively like we normally do. We just have to change that.” 

It got worse for Narberth in the fourth, when Briner smashed a three-run homer to right field, one that DeBarberie dove for with two on and two out but missed, the ball bounding well beyond the trees. 

Narberth, though, wasn’t done. It clawed back with three runs in the bottom half, aided by four walks, three issued by Eiel. TJ Chism dunked in an RBI single as the Mudcats went station-to-station, then free passes to Lee Lipinski and Luke Cantwell forced in runs. But reliever Cameron Mathes induced a 1-2-3 double play off the bat of Mike White to stem the tide at 6-3. 

The schedule oddities have forced both teams to dig deep into their staffs, and it has shown. Narberth used five pitchers Thursday, including Ravert to finish Game 2. Marty McKeone gave up six runs (four earned) in four innings of Game 3. James Santore surrendered a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, Kevin Mohollen supplying a two-run single. 

“It’s tough because you’re just burning guys, it feels like, that you can probably extend them if the game goes on, but they’ll probably be a no-go for tomorrow,” DeBarberie said. “We’ve just got to piece it together. That’s what it comes down to.” 

Narberth kept battling late. Singles by Chism and Lipinski started the sixth, and Lake slapped a two-run single to plate them and move White, who was hit by a pitch, to third. That’s when the umps called the game, leaving the managers to do the same dance over again. 

“We felt like we had the momentum and we started the inning, I don’t think it got much darker from the five minutes we actually played,” DeBarberie said. “So it’s unfortunate, but it’s the way it is. You can’t control that.” 

Once again Friday, the game and series could come down to who can get revved up quickest. Fili and DeBarberie will spend the next day negotiating who can and can’t show up, as is the inherent challenge of the Delco League. Then at 5:30, with margins slightly wider than Thursday’s, it’ll be time to go. 

“Just be ready to rock,” Sean Mohollen said. “We know the situation.”

Rain puts damper on Delco Leage championship series game

By Matthew DeGeorge, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., @sportsdoctormd on Twitter

FROM THE DAILY TIMES : 08/07/18, 11:47 PM EDT 

PLYMOUTH TWP. >> In case it wasn’t obvious from the mood beneath darkening skies at Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth Tuesday evening, the number of conferences between managers and umpire in the top of the sixth inning should’ve told the story. 

As Wayne and Narberth meandered into the sixth inning scoreless in Game 2 of their best-of-5 Delco League championships series, Wayne manager Brian Fili used three pitchers to get outs 16, 17, and 18 in the game. Narberth manager Steve DeBarberie, in search of a run, pinch-ran for his three and four hitters — himself included — after a one-out double that positioned him as the potential go-ahead run. 

This particular battle went the way of Wayne, with righty Matt Eiel wriggling out of a jam. But the only victor Tuesday was the weather, with lightning postponing a 0-0 game until Thursday. 

Game 2 will resume with Ed Papardella leading off the bottom of the sixth inning for Wayne and facing a 1-1 count. First pitch at Narberth Playground will be at 5:30. 

Should Game 2 finish in a reasonable timeframe, Game 3 will be afterward. If not, the series schedule will be pushed back a day. Narberth leads the series, 1-0. 

The inning’s cat-and-mouse showed how tight things were in a game that featured eight hits as both managers dipped into their bullpens. The objective, with the way the hurlers were tossing and the spacious dimensions of Villanova’s home park, was to push a run across any which way. 

“Just hoping that we could get a single with one out,” DeBarberie said. “We had two chances at it, two cracks at it to get on the board.” 

DeBarberie split the left-center gap with a double with one out in the sixth. That was the last pitch thrown by Wayne starter James Dougherty, who allowed five hits, struck out three and walked none. 

Fili set up his bullpen to have left-hander Joe Miller ready to face a dangerous lefty in the middle of the Mudcats lineup, either five-hitter T.J. Chism or designated hitter Ryan Tecco in the seventh sport. Miller got ahead with two strikes but then threw a curveball that didn’t curve, except into Chism’s right biceps. 

With two on, Fili went back to the bullpen for Eiel, and DeBarberie sent himself to the bench for the faster Mike Coleman, with Matt DeBarberie running for Chism. 

Eiel got Lee Lipinski to foul out to first, then Tecco bounced out to shortstop to end the threat. 

“It gets Chism and DeBarberie out of the game, especially if this game goes nine innings,” Fili said. “They did the right thing — they put the faster guy on second base. Both teams are really looking for one hit to win the game, that’s what it really came down to. No one got to the pitchers. I tip my cap to both pitchers.” 

Two pitches later, Evan Raiburn, who got the final two outs of the fifth after Reilly Jacobs singled and was sacrificed to second, had his delivery stopped by lightning beyond the outfield wall, triggering the postponement. 

Steve DeBarberie joined the chorus praising the pitchers. Dougherty was matched zero for zero by Dave Lerro, who gave up three singles but walked four in 4.1 innings. 

“Their starter was very good tonight,” DeBarberie said of Dougherty. “He changed speeds on us, he kept us off-balance. We hit some balls hard right at guys, their outfield was playing pretty deep. We didn’t really hit many line drives. We were hitting deep fly balls that they were just tracking down.” 

The defense played a huge part. Raiburn was aided by a stellar pick by Chism at first on a groundout in the fifth. Wayne’s Mike Raimo, a late lineup addition, made a tremendous catch on Joe Ravert falling backward on the track in right field in the first inning. And Narberth’s Mike White bashed one to the warning track in left that Matt Briner hauled in, a shot that would’ve been well over the net and into the front yards on the other side of Windsor Avenue at Narberth. 

That’s one of many changes ushered in by the change of venue, Narberth’s short porch in left and slower infield than the turf surface at Plymouth changing the dynamics. That’ll be important for the one-and-a-half-inning sprint of Game 2, which will pivot the endurance challenge of the series.

“I would like to play here just because we’re used to here and they’re used to Narberth,” Fili said. “Narberth’s a tough place to play, but we’re going to start at 5:30 and hopefully be ready.”

Chism, Narberth takes duel between Delco POYs

By Matt Smith, Delaware County Daily Times

POSTED: 08/07/18, 12:20 AM EDT

PLYMOUTH >> Game 1 of the Delco League finals featured some interesting storylines. 

First, there was the matchup itself, No. 1 Wayne vs. No. 2 Narberth. It’s believed to be the first year in the 111-year history of the oldest semi-professional baseball league in the nation that both finalists play their home games outside of county territory. In 2017, Wayne moved a move miles up the Blue Route, from Radnor High School to the cozy confines of Villanova Ballpark in Plymouth. 

Oh, then were was the connection between the two starting pitchers. Wayne’s Luke Zimmerman and Narberth’s T.J. Chism are Daily Times Player of the Year winners from different generations. Chism earned the award in his senior year at Sun Valley in 2006 after leading the Vanguards to the PIAA Class 3A championship game. Zimmerman was honored after leading Marple Newtown to a PIAA Class 5A championship this year. 

“Both players of the year, 12 years apart,” Chism said getting the win in Narberth’s 3-2 victory Monday night. “That’s pretty cool.” 

Chism, the former La Salle standout and New York Mets farmhand, came back to the Delco League following a brief retirement. He last pitched for Aston Valley in 2016, one year after playing for the Camden Riversharks of the Atlantic League. Chism, who turns 30 this week, was a 32nd round draft pick of the Mets in 2009 and spent six seasons in the minor leagues. 

“Just to compete and to have fun, it’s still a good feeling,” Chism said. “I didn’t play last year and I didn’t really miss it. I think coaching at Widener helps fill that void a little bit. But pitching is always fun. I still get nervous, I still get the butterflies when I’m pitching, whether it’s a softball game or a baseball game.” 

Chism battled with command and a tight strike zone, but struck out four over 5 1/3 innings. He was relieved by fellow La Salle University alum Joe Ravert in the bottom of the sixth when Wayne trimmed its deficit to 3-2 and had two runners in scoring position. Ravert forced Sean Mohollen to hit a pop up and struck out James Kantner to escape the jam. 

“I knew in the bullpen that I didn’t have my best stuff,” said Chism, a lefthander who throws from a three-quarters arm slot. “I knew if I battled, my teammates were going to battle for me. After giving up a run in the first, it could’ve gotten ugly, but we came right back and scored to tie it up. From there we kind of settled in a little bit.” 

Ravert worked around a one-out single by Kevin Mohollen in the seventh inning to record a five-out save. Matt Briner hit a line drive into the glove of second baseman Joe Lake, who threw to first to nab Mohollen for the game-ending double play. 

“There’s definitely a part of you that is pumped up to come into a situation like that, but usually I’m very calm,” said Ravert, who was 1-for-4 with a single out of the three-hole. “T.J. battled and threw a great game. I knew I had to pick a fellow Explorer up when I came in, so it feels good to get Game 1 especially.” 

Another compelling storyline involved former high school batterymates. Narberth’s Luke Cantwell had caught every inning of Zimmerman’s awesome 2018 high school season (he was 10-0 with an ERA under 1.00). And, of course, Cantwell was behind the plate when Zimmerman started the state final against Lower Dauphin in June. 

Naturally, then, it was weird to see Cantwell stroll to the plate for the first time in the second inning to face his good buddy. Cantwell was able to hang back on an offspeed pitch and clobber it to the gap in left-center for a leadoff double. He said it was the first time he has faced Zimmerman in a competitive setting. 

“In that at bat I was just thinking about how he pitches,” Cantwell said. “I’ve caught him all year, so I knew which pitches will bite and how they come out of his hand.I kind of had a good feel, I guess. He dropped a curveball in and I was able to go get it. That was pretty fun. 

“He’s a great a pitcher and he really gets people off-balance,. I can’t say enough good things about Zimmerman.” 

Cantwell relished the moment. He scored in the inning on a hit by Richie Tecco to tie the game at 1-1, then walked and scored the go-ahead run in the fourth on a single by Sean Spratt. Cantwell added a single off Wayne reliever Reilly Degen in the fifth. 

Cantwell, who will play at West Chester next spring, has been a key cog for Narberth during its run to the Delco League finals. After catching full-time for the first time his senior year at Marple, Cantwell plays left field for the Mudcats and is likely to play the outfield for the Golden Rams. 

“This is a learning experience for me,” he said. “I’m just trying to sit back and watch how these guys carry themselves. The pitching and the defense, it’s on a different level than high school. It really gets me ready for the type of competitive baseball I’ll see in college. I’d rather do this instead of paying $3,000 for a summer team any day of the week. It’s good baseball and you see good pitching every single day. It’s fun to be here and I’m glad I got this opportunity.” 

Tecco was a pest in the No. 2 spot in the order, collecting three singles, two RBIs and a walk. The top of the order for Narberth — Spratt, Tecco and Ravert — went 5-for-10 with three RBIs and a pair of walks. 

“To get the first game out of the way is big,” said Tecco, a Bonner & Prendergast product and senior at Rider. “You got to expect a close game. Every pitch, every at bat usually matters when you play a team as good as Wayne. You’ve got to compete every at bat. Zimmerman is a great young pitcher but when he starts to lose control, you’ve just got to lock in, see your pitch and put a good swing on it and hope for the best. That’s what we were able to do today.” 

Zimmerman allowed three earned runs on six hits and four walks in four innings of work. Degen and Matt Eiel combined for three scoreless innings in relief. 

Wayne fired the opening salvo in the bottom of the first. Kevin Mohollen laced a leadoff double and scored on a Briner single. Chism, who threw 110 pitches, exited after Zimmerman hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Dan Williams who singled and raced to third on a ground-rule double by Ed Paparella. Anthony Viggiano walked to load the bags. 

“I just knew I had to keep battling,” Chism said. “That’s part of the fun.” 

***

NOTES >> Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday at Villanova Ballpark at 5:45. Dave Lerro gets the ball for Narberth and will oppose Wayne’s James Dougherty … Narberth is in the Delco League finals for a fourth consecutive season. The Mudcats won their only title in 2016 .. Wayne is seeking its league-record 16th championship and its first since the 2015 campaign.