Baseball in PAC-10 Finals After Methacton Win

After splitting with Methacton in the 2012 season, Spring-Ford came out and played well when it mattered most, defeating the Warriors, 3-1 in the PAC-10 semifinals game. They'll face Boyertown tonight in the PAC-10 Championship game, hoping to win yet another league crown.

Unlike last year's team, the Rams haven't been an offensive powerhouse, but the defense is in tip-top shape and helped the offense keep a big enough lead to hold the opponents to just one score.

"Too close for comfort, but this is the kind of baseball we've been playing," said head coach Bruce Brobst. "We don't go out there and expect to score eight, nine or 10 runs. We expected it to be a tight ballgame, we expected to play defense and we expect to pitch. We have to do that in order to win ballgames. Not surprised at all. They're a good team. [Pitcher Joey] Casselberry really battled out there."

Methacton's only score came in the top of the first inning. Tyler Kirkpatrick of the Warriors was driven in by Clayton Harwick on an RBI-single.

Fortunately for the Rams, Casselberry was unable to find the strike zone in the bottom of the first. He walked the first three batters and then brought Angelo Kelly home on a wild pitch. Senior was walked right after and a Dave Gulati groundout brought Tom Grablewski home to take the lead.

"I don't know if it was a confidence booster, but that was what we were being given," Brobst said. "We took it and used it to our advantage."

Spring-Ford pitcher Krystian DeLuzio pitched lights-out in the contest, not letting up another run in the ensuing six innings. He pitched seven innings, allowed seven hits and an earned run. He walked one and struck out three.

"Krystian has done that all year long," Brobst said. "He goes out and he competes. I can't ask him or anybody else to do any more than that. He's confident in what he can do. He's a very quiet, unassuming kid, but he's a competitor."

DeLuzio credited his defense for a great effort in the field.

"Flawless defense," he said. "They've been there for me all year. Getting me out of jams and stuff like that. Nothing different tonight. It's how I've been all year. Throwing strikes, getting out batters and the defense behind me."

The other Spring-Ford score came in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-single by Grablewski.

The boys now face a Boyertown team that they beat twice in the regular season - both times by just one run.

"It feels great [to win tonight]," DeLuzio said. "That's what you want to do. You want to win this game and get to the championship game. We're playing Boyertown for the third time this year. Probably going to see Bogucki again. We beat them twice, but why can't we do it a third time? History is on our side."

Despite history, DeLuzio said he knows tonight's game will be a tough battle.

"Obviously it's going to be a tough game. It's going to be hard-fought. I wouldn't expect anything different. It could be a one- or two-run game. That's just how it's going to be. Spring-Ford-Boyertown rivalry."