Clarke's 5 RBI day buries Plymouth-Whitemarsh

Cody Clarke drove in five runs and Mike Oczypok recorded 11 of 15 outs via strikeout as the Spring-Ford Rams advanced to the quarterfinals of the PIAA District One tournament with a 11-1, mercy-rule thrashing of the Plymouth-Whitemarsh Colonials.

“I really haven't been doing anything that different at the plate,” said Clarke, who is hitting over .600 in his last five games. “I’m just more relaxed and putting a better swing on the ball. We know we all can hit, and it seems like every game someone steps up and has a good game.”

Someone who has stepped all year is Rams ace righthander Oczypok, who again was fantastic, fanning 11 Colonials in five innings. He scattered six hits and did not issue a walk.

“I don’t know, today was just an outing for me,” said Oczypok. “I didn’t feel like I threw great, but I was effective most of the day. The big thing was the way our lineup hit. 11 runs, no pitcher can ask for more than that. It makes it really easy to relax as you take the mound when they get three like that right away.”

P-W got the scoring started in the first as they posted their only run in the game on an RBI single by shortstop Jake Mascio, who actually caused the Rams more problems in the field. Mascio recorded five assists and turned a threat-ending double play.

The Rams showed quickly that their first round bye hadn't put any rust on their bats. They loaded the bases in the home first inning with a hit batsmen, an error and a walk. Clarke ripped a double in the gap to clear the bases and post Spring-Ford to a 3-1 lead at the end of one.

“We will go as far as our pitching takes us,” said Rams manager Bruce Brobst. “Again we got just a great effort out of Mike. It wasn’t as important from a pitching stand point that we ended it in five, but that we came out and put up a crooked number and scored runs taking advantage of walks and hit batters.”

In all, the Rams drew five walks and had five hit batsmen, which translated on the scoreboard to four runs and an RBI.

In the fourth inning, Spring-Ford used extra base runners and clutch hitting by senior Ricky Gorrell (1-for-2, run scored, 2RBI), senior Hoff (2-for-2, RBI) and junior Clarke (2-for-3, 5 RBI) who delivered a two-out, two-run single to push a crossed the tenth run.

Oczypok kept the Colonials guessing, routinely getting ahead in the count. He struck out the side in the second and fifth innings.

“We can’t score runs when we are on the field,” added Oczypok. “My job, especially when we are hitting as well as we have been, is to throw strikes and get us back into the dugout as quick as I can. It was important to stay ahead in the count like any game.”

Spring-Ford improved to 19-4 overall with the win. In the quarterfinal round, they will face Ches-Mont power West Chester East, who defeated Harry S Truman 12-2 to advance.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R

H

E

Plymouth-Whitemarsh

1

0

0

0

0

X

X

1

6

1

Spring-Ford  (19-4)

3

1

0

7

X

X

X

11

7

0

Plymouth-Whitemarsh

AB

R

H

RBI

Spring-Ford

AB

R

H

RBI

DeBonaventure  2b

3

0

1

0

Medley   lf

2

2

0

0

Minatola  cf

3

0

1

0

Grablewski  2b

1

3

0

1

Slagle  c

3

1

1

0

Gorrell  ss

2

1

1

2

Mascio  ss

2

0

1

0

Huff  c

3

0

2

1

Cho  3b

2

0

0

0

Oczypok  p

1

0

0

0

Wallace  1b

2

0

0

0

Clarke  3b

3

0

2

5

Stacks dh

2

0

0

0

Conway  dh

1

0

0

0

Ensslin p

1

0

0

0

Larkin  1b

3

1

1

0

Weikert p

1

0

0

0

Cratsenberg  rf

3

1

1

1

Kirby  lf

2

0

1

0

Shronk cr

0

2

0

0

Simmons  cr

0

1

0

0

Totals

21

1

6

1

Totals

19

11

7

10

IP

R

ER

H

SO

BB

Ensslin     (L )

2

4

0

2

0

2

Weikert

2

7

5

5

1

2

Oczypok  (W)

4

1

1

6

11

0

2B-Clarke, 3B-none         HR- none           LOB- Plymouth-Whitemarsh-4    Spring-Ford-5

Time of game 1:18  Temperature- 89 degrees   DP-  Plymouth-Whitemarsh

HBP- Grablewski (2), Oczypok (2), Conway