As the Spring-Ford team bus was pulling out of Bear Stadium on Friday night, following the Rams 13-0 rout of Boyertown, it wouldn’t have been surprising to hear Bachman Turner Overdrive blaring out its windows.
“Taking care of our business was what we needed to do,” said Sean Larkin. “We are a mature team and knew we needed to come in here and play our game. I can’t say enough about our team right now. We have really used the Phoenixville loss as motivation.”
Spring-Ford is now 9-1 in its last ten games on Boyertown's field.
Find out what's happening in Limerick-Royersford-Spring Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“This is our home away from home,” said James Hoff, who resumed catching duties for the Rams. “We are confident wherever we play, but have had a lot of success here."
"This was a huge game for us. Our pitching has been awesome. Josh (Mellon) and Pat (Medley) last night and the way 'Oz' pitched today, what can you say about that kind of effort,” Hoff said.
Find out what's happening in Limerick-Royersford-Spring Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Spring-Ford senior right-hander Mike Oczypok was in total control from the outset. He set down 12 of the first 13 Bears that he faced and faced just two batters over the minimum.
The only ball the Bears hit hard all day was a shot off of the bat of catcher Kyle Weller, which caromed off the outstretched glove and body of Tom Grablewski and dribbled into centerfield, ending the possibility of a second consecutive no-hitter by the Rams staff.
“It makes it fun as a catcher when you know that every pitch you call will be where you want it,” added Hoff. “'Oz' had great control and we were really mixing it up today, which is why they had such a hard time. They are a very good hitting club and that was a great job by Mike.”
The Rams (6-1), who now have a half-game lead over Boyertown in the PAC-10, pounded out 14 hits against the heralded Bears pitching staff.
Spring-Ford got great production from the 7 through 9 hole in the lineup as Ryan Conway, Sean Larkin and Josh Cratsenberg combined for a 7-for-8 hitting performance, scoring six runs and driving in six runs, with two doubles.
“It was pretty cool,” said Josh Cratsenberg. “Our entire team can hit, so whether it’s the top of the lineup or bottom, we make pitchers have to work to get outs. I have been seeing the ball really well and batting where I do, I have been seeing some good pitches.”
The Rams posted four runs in the second inning with Larkin (3-for-3, 3 runs, 3 RBI) ripping a two-run single and Cratsenberg following suit, clearing the bases, giving Ozcypok all the cushion Spring-Ford would need.
“I never expected this type of game,” said Rams manager Bruce Brobst. “It was our day. We played the field well, hit well, and again had an outstanding pitching effort by 'Oz'. The guys knew what they had to do today and came in here and got it done.”
The clincher came in the fourth inning, when Spring-Ford sent 14 men to the plate, scoring nine runs on eight hits, chasing starter Ryan Pinter. Aaron Bogucki was welcomed by eight of the first nine batters he faced reaching base.
In a game that had the atmosphere of a business person's special at Citizens Bank Park, Oczypok, who struck out six while allowing one hit and issuing one walk, slammed the door on Boyertown in the bottom of the fifth, closing out the previously unbeaten Bears in the mercy-rule shortened game.
“It’s a different kind of feeling up here,” said Cratsenberg. “It is a special environment when you play here and to get a win like this is great, but it’s only one game.”
“We can’t control what other teams [do],” added Hoff. "This kind of made up for that Phoenixville game, but we need have this kind of effort every game if we are going to win the PAC-10. No matter what happens with other teams, we have to keep taking care of our own business.”
SPRING-FORD AB R H RBI
Medley lf 4 1 1 0
Grablewski 2b 4 1 1 1
Gorrell ss 2 1 1 0
Michaud ph 1 0 0 0
Hoff c 1 0 0 1
Mellon ph 1 0 0 0
Ozcypok p 3 0 2 1
Simmons ph/ cr 1 1 1 0
Clark 3b 2 1 1 1
Shrunk ph/ cr 1 2 0 0
Conway dh 3 2 2 1
Larkin 3b 3 3 3 3
Cratsenberg rf 2 1 2 4
BOYERTOWN AB R H RBI
Weeks rf 3 0 0 0
Price 3b 2 0 0 0
Von Doren cf 2 0 0 0
Weller c 2 0 1 0
Jazlovitski lf 2 0 0 0
Punell 2b 2 0 0 0
Heimbach 1b 1 0 0 0
O’Connell dh 2 0 0 0
Sundstrom ss 2 0 0 0
Spring-Ford 0 4 0 9 0 - 13
Boyertown 0 0 0 0 0 - 0
2B- Conway, Clark, Larkin HBP- Hoff
Pitching IP R ER H SO BB
Pinter (L) 3 7 5 6 0 2
Bogucki 1.3 6 5 6 1 1
O’Connell .6 0 0 1 0 0
Ozcypok (W) 5 0 0 1 6 1
