Red Sox Quest for a Repeat Thwarted by Bristol

The Scoop

Spring City’s American Legion season came to a close on Wednesday in a stirring 16-15 loss to Bristol Post 382, who claimed its first region title in club history. But the Red Sox did not go down without a fight.  In a game that more closely resembled a heavy weight fight, the Sox and Bristol exchanged massive blows, each rising up from the mat repeatedly.

It was a lethal combination of eight errors committed by Spring City, an amazing barehanded double play by Post 382 shortstop Matt Petrizzi and one base hit on a rock hard infield that sent the defending regional and state champs to the canvas for the final time in 2011.

After posting six runs in the seventh inning, in which the Red Sox posted six runs with home runs from Tom Grablewski and Connor Simmons, Spring City carried a two-run lead at 15-13 into the eighth inning, but were not able to prevent Bristol from tying in the seventh.

With the game knotted at 15 apiece, Ricky Gorrell got it started in the bottom of the ninth with a lead off single and it looked as though Spring City, who was 14-2 in the past two seasons in elimination games coming into the tilt, was going to be able to rise up from ashes again. Then Kenny Pierson was called out on a pitch that he would have needed a seven iron to hit and Petrizzi snared a ball ripped back through the middle by Cody Clarke with his bare hand and in one motion touched the bag and gunned it to first to end the threat and save Bristol from having to play a second game.

Mike Mcleod, who was slated to be the second game starter for Bristol, entered the game following Gorrell's ninth-inning single, then struck out two in the 10th to close out the game.

Turning Point

The pivotal at bat of the game was in the Bristol sixth inning as Spring City had rallied to tie the game at six, then essentially gave Bristol six outs in the inning. With a dropped tag-out on a stolen base attempt and a ball played loosely off the horrendous infield surface allowing another two runs to score, Bristol put up four runs and more importantly was able to get Red Sox starter Sean Larkin out of the game.

Player of the Game

A Herculean effort by designated hitter James Hoff, who crushed three home runs, drove in eight and scored five of his own. Hoff, who will be playing ball for Ursinus College next season, was unable to catch due to an arm injury but single-handedly tried to lift the team on his back and carry them to the state tournament, which starts on Tuesday in West Lawn. 

Box Score

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

R

H

E

Bristol

0

0

3

1

2

4

3

2

0

1

16

16

3

Norchester

1

0

3

0

2

4

6

0

0

0

15

20

8

Other Key Performers

Pat Medley had three hits in the game and had an outstanding tournament with an on-base percentage of more than .700 to compliment the 4-for 6 performance at the plate of Kenny Pierson, who scored a run and drove in another.

Inside the Lines

“We knew we had to get Larkin out of the game,” said Bristol manager Tim Monoghan. “He was throwing outstanding, once he was out of the game we knew we had a chance to hit them, as we had seen their other relievers the other day. That sixth inning was the key to the game. That is an outstanding team and they showed why they are state champs. What a game! We knew if we had to play a second game that it would be in their favor as they had been there before last season.”

Say What?

“This is a group of guys that made it fun to come to the ballpark every day,” said Red Sox manager Jamie Scheck. “I am going to miss the senior kids that are not eligible to come back. They had a never-quit ability that will be hard to replace and today it just didn’t work out. They battled to the end, but that’s a very good squad over there.”

Extra Innings

The Red Sox core group of Sean Larkin, Ken Pierson, James Hoff, Pat Medley, Ryan Conway, Tom Grablewski and Ricky Gorrell have accomplished things that may never be duplicated by any Spring City team. They won the 2008 Pennsylvania Junior Legion State championship, 2010 Pennsylvania State Senior Legion Championship, 2010 Region Three Championship and qualified for the 2010 Mid-Atlantic tournament. These accomplishments were all team firsts.

Congratulations and thank you for making it fun to come to the park to see and cover the games. The memories that you have provided will never be forgotten.

Pennsylvania Region Three Tournament Bracket at Owen J. Roberts High School

GAME 1  SATURDAY JULY 16  9:45AM   Spring City 16  Whitpain 5

GAME 2 SATURDAY JULY 16   1PM         Fort Washington 16 Olney  7

GAME 3 SATURDAY JULY 16   4PM        Bristol 382  15  Wayne 5

GAME 4 SATURDAY JULY 16    7PM        Norchester 13  Narberth 0

GAME 5 SUNDAY JULY 17        9;45AM    Whtipain 14  Wayne  9   (Wayne elminated)

GAME 6 SUNDAY JULY 17        1PM          Olney  12  Narberth 6  (Narberth eliminated)

GAME 7 SUNDAY JULY 17        4PM         Bristol 15  Spring City 11

GAME 8 SUNDAY JULY 17        7PM         Norchester 14  Fort Washington 2

GAME 9 MONDAY JULY 18      12;30PM  Spring City 20  vs Olney 16  (Olney eliminated)

GAME 10 MONDAY JULY 18    4PM         Whitpain 10 Fort Washington 6  (Fort Washington eliminated)

GAME 11 MONDAY JULY 18    7PM         Bristol 18  vs Norchester 4

GAME 12 TUESDAY JULY 19   4PM         Spring City 10 Norchester 4 

GAME 13 TUESDAY JULY 19   7PM         Bristol 17 Whitpain 10 

GAME 14 WEDNESDAY JULY 20 12;30PM  Bristol 16 Spring City 15  (10 innings)