River Bandits endure first league loss

PHOENIXVILLE - The Spring City River Bandits jumped on Phoenixville starter David Palmer for three first inning runs but couldn't knock him out of the game as the Athletics came from behind for a 7-4 win, tagging the Red Sox with their first league loss.

Spring City manager Mike Gencasz 

Palmer, who spent most of the high school season on the varsity squad and is still getting to know his junior American Legion teammates, will have no shortage of friends on the Athletics roster if he continues to have performances like Sunday’s.

“It was great to beat the best team in the league,” said Palmer. “I played most of the year on varsity so I am still getting to know a lot of our guys and the way we play. I felt pretty good today, it was hot at the start of the game, but after the first couples innings I had more than just my fast ball going.”

David Gulati opened the scoring for the Red Sox by drawing a walk and later scoring on a triple by Cameron Simmons. Simmons later scored along with Corey Rantz on a ground out by Andy Lovre-Smith and an RBI triple by Matt Yost.

“We got off to a great start,” said manager Mike Gancasz. “We hit the ball around in the first inning there, then we just stopped hitting. Give him [Palmer] credit, he really battled back after we put up three. It’s hard to do things or get thing going with out baserunners.”

Palmer (IP, 4 ER, 3K 5BB), who allowed five hits in all, settled in and did not allow more than one base runner in any inning until the Spring City loaded the bases in the top of the seventh.

“I used my fastball mostly in the beginning,” added Palmer. “I started getting my curve over and was able to keep them off balance when we were ahead in the count. To get seven runs on the board was great.”

The Athletics got things started offensively in the third frame as Bryan Furr led off with a single followed by Rob Purcell, who reached base on an error, setting the table for Chris Demey, who ripped a single down the line to score Furr, after which Purcell came around and score as the throw got loose in the infield.

“I was very happy with way we responded today,” said Athletics manager A.J. Gray. “They had that big first inning and we didn’t hang our heads. They just battled back and played a solid game against the team that’s first in our league.”

In the home fifth, Phoenixville took a 6-3 lead. Demey led off with a single, followed by Anthony reaching on a throwing error and Zach Gallow rapping a base hit to score Demey. Chance DiFebbo followed with a one–out RBI single.

Spring City loaded the bases to open the final at bat as Palmer walked pinch hitter Connor Klemann then plucked David Gulati, before issuing a free pass to Connor Murphy to fill the bags with Sox with no one out.

“There was a plan in place if needed, but it was David’s game at that point,” added A.J. Gray. "He really did a great job working through that and it’s important to have confidence that he can close out a game like that. We played a very complete game as a team, which is great to see this early in the season. These guys have given up a big part of their summer and it’s great when we are successful.”

The Red Sox (4-1 league, 7-2 overall) cut the lead to three as pinch hitter Shane Emrich launched a sacrifice fly, plating Klemann, but the rally was cut short as Lovre-Smith and Corey Rantz were retired on a week fly to center and a ground out to third to close out the game, giving the Athletics a big league win.

“I know we always have a target on us as one of the top teams in the league,” added Red Sox manager Gancasz. “I like it, though. Our guys know they have to step it up every game. Today proves what we have been telling our guys, that we are not good enough to just show up and win games. No one in this league is going to give us anything. We need to go out and take it every game.”

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R

H

E

Spring City

3

0

0

0

0

0

1

4

5

1

Phoenixville

0

0

2

1

3

1

X

7

10

1

AB

R

H

RBI

Phoenixville

AB

R

H

RBI

Gulati ss

2

1

0

0

Hook 2b

4

0

0

0

Murphy rf

3

0

0

0

Furr lf

4

1

3

1

Simmons p

3

1

2

1

Purcell cf

3

2

1

0

Lovre-Smith 1b

4

0

1

0

Demey c

4

1

4

2

Rantz c

4

1

1

0

Anthony 3b

2

0

0

0

Yost rf

3

0

1

1

Gallow  1b

4

1

1

0

Cass lf

3

0

0

0

Cook ss

2

0

0

0

Conroy 3b

3

0

0

0

Palmer p

3

0

2

0

Carter cf

1

0

0

0

DiFebbo rf

3

1

2

1

Emmerick ph

0

0

0

1

Sommers ph

2

1

0

1

Butera ph

1

0

0

0

Keenan ph

0

1

0

0

Totals

26

4

5

3

Totals

31

7

13

5

IP

R

ER

H

SO

BB

Simmons(L)

2

6

5

5

1

4

Breitenback

1

4

3

5

0

0

Palmer (W)

7

4

3

5

3

5

2B-none 3B-Simmons , Yost   HR- none       LOB- S CITY -7     PHX-9 

Time: 2:11  Temp: 85 degrees