Jones Fans Eleven in 9-1 Rout of Cardinals

As the Pioneer Athletic Conference season came to a close and the district playoffs took place the Phantoms were one of the hottest hitting teams in the league.

As the warm weather has rolled in, the bats have not cooled off.

Even though it is extremely early in the Chester County league season, Athletics manager Jack Sturgeon likes what he has seen so far out of his Phoenixville club who, following Sunday’s 9-1 win over Paoli, has started the season 2-0-1.

Phoenixville High School class of 2011 member Mike Jones (1-0, 1.20 ERA) was dominant on the mound as he scattered three hits and issued only two walks while fanning 11 Red Birds en route to the complete game victory.

The Red Birds (0-2) had a chance to jump on Jones early, scoring a run in the first on a single by Jack Meeker, plating Thomas Schwartz who led off the game by drawing a walk. Paoli failed to blow it open as Griffith was cut down at the plate as Jordan Vallenino drilled a ball to first baseman Brandon Hershey who rifled the ball home.

“We are still shifting gears and adjusting to change of pace,” said Meeker, a member of the class of 2011 at Great Valley High School who will be playing baseball next year at LeSalle. “Legion ball is a different atmosphere. It’s fun to come to the park and play every day with this group of guys.”

Paoli didn’t have much fun handling Jones’ breaking ball after the first inning as the Athletics’ ace settled in, allowing just three hits for the entire game and two base runners after the initial stanza.

“We just added a new curve ball 12 and 6 and Mike threw it really well today,” said catcher Jack Ashburn. “He also just added a splitter, which is new, that with his fastball really kept them guessing. We really have kept it going from high school ball. I am looking forward to a great season.”

The Athletics got it going offensively in the second posting four runs to take a 5-1 lead on RBI hits by Hershey (triple), Seirzega (triple), a sac fly by Ashburn and a fielder's choice off the bat of Andy Kaye.

Pinch hitter Ryan Starczewski crushed a ball into the wide-open paces in left center, rambling home with a three-run homerun, scoring Ashburn, who had singled and Seirzega who reached on a fielder's choice, to close out the scoring at 9-1 in the home sixth.

“I felt really good today” said Jones. “I was able to pitch ahead in the count which helps and my off speed tuff really came together today. We have been hitting really well and our defense really stepped it up today. The double play we turned really shut them down.”

Cardinals' starter Aaron Deylida was solid, as he scattered six hits and allowed 5 earned runs in five innings, issuing just two bases on balls to keep Paoli in the game until the sixth inning, where Deylida had given way, but it was the Athletics' ability to get people in that really took control of the game as Phoenixville only stranded three runners all day.

“When you get good pitching everybody else relaxes,” said Sturgeon. “With the bats we are doing what we need to do, putting the ball in play and getting timely hits. It feels like a good team so far. In the Chester County league we are going to have some rough nights as we play in probably the toughest league in the state so it’s nice to get some wins early in the year.

“I am very glad for Mike [Jones]. Toward the last few weeks of the high school season he really started coming into his own,” added Sturgeon.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R

H

E

Paoli  (0-2)

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

3

1

Phoenixville (2-0-1)

0

4

1

0

1

3

X

9

8

2

Paoli

AB

R

H

RBI

Phoenixville

AB

R

H

RBI

Scwartz ss

2

1

2

0

Kaye rf

3

0

0

1

Tighe  2b

3

0

0

0

Yenchick lf

2

1

1

0

Griffith  1b

3

0

1

0

Romano cf

3

0

0

0

Meeker c

3

0

2

1

Milano 3b

2

1

0

1

Iacobucci  dh

3

0

0

0

Allen ss

3

1

2

0

Villenino 3b

3

0

0

0

Hershey  1b

2

1

1

2

Graboyes cf

3

0

0

0

Ashburn c

1

0

0

1

Richey rf

3

0

0

0

Ferguson  dh

3

1

1

0

Haines lf

2

0

0

0

Seirzega 2b

2

1

1

1

Ball ph

1

0

0

0

Starczewski ph

1

1

1

3

Little ph

1

0

0

0

Ammon ph

1

0

0

0

Kawchack ph

1

1

1

0

Valenteen ph

1

1

0

0

Totals

23

1

3

1

Totals

26

9

8

9

IP

R

ER

H

SO

BB

Deylida  (L 0-1)

5

6

5

6

0

2

Zantzinger

1

3

3

2

0

0

Jones  (W 1-0)

7

1

1

3

11

2

2B-Yenchick  3B-Hershey, Seirzega    HR- Starczewski       LOB- PLB-6     PHX- 3 

time of the game 1:32       game temp 84 degrees