MORRISVILLE:
Bulldogs get ship righted in time
By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Last year, Morrisville captured the BAL Constitution Division championship hands down. This season, the Bulldogs were forced to go to the wire with DelCo Christian Academy and Jenkintown breathing down their necks right down to the last BAL matchup.
Morrisville entered their league finale May 13 tied with DelCo and Jenkintown. Both teams had five BAL wins, threatening the Bulldogs chances of repeating as Constitution champions.
At 5-6 overall, Morrisville’s season had been a mixed bag of sorts with the Bulldogs winning all the games they should have won and none of those they could have.
Last Wednesday at Williamson Park, the ‘Dawgs reversed that trend in a single inning, plating 10 runs to end the game early while sending Lower Moreland home on the short side of an 18-8 score.
Though Morrisville remained unbeaten in the Constitution Division all season long, the defending division champion Bulldogs needed a win against the Lions in order to repeat. That’s exactly what they got.
“Last year, we easily won the division,” stated starting pitcher Matt Evans. “This year, we had to work for it.
“Coming out and winning the games we had to win--that’s been the highlight to the season.”
Ahead, 8-3, after four innings, Lower Moreland chased Evans from the hill with 5 runs in the top of the fifth. With two on and two out, sophomore righthander Steve Driscoll came on and extinguished the Lions’ rally however without any further damage.
Morrisville went right back to work in the bottom of the frame. The big blow was struck by senior first baseman Marty Murray, who cleared the bases with a grand slam in the fifth.
For Murray, it was his second home run of the day. He hit a 2-run shot earlier in the battle.
“We knew the importance of the game and we had the top of the lineup coming up so if we were going to do it, it was going to be then,” said Murray.
With Eugene Figeuroa, Evans and another runner cramming the bases, Murray got the pitch he was looking for on the first pitch. The senior smoked it.
“He threw me a pitch I could hit. I went up there and I was sitting dead red. I wanted that pitch and I got it.”
Kyle Schnee and Chad Demi also hit for safeties in the contest.
“We came out in the fifth inning and put up a couple of long balls,” stated Evans. “We’re swinging the bats good right now; that’s all you can really ask for.”
While the May 13 win was sandwiched between a 10-run loss to non-league rival Holy Ghost Prep, it came right after a 10-run triumph over Jenkintown. According to Murray, the ‘Dawgs have come a long way since the beginning of the season when they dropped three of their first four including losses to BAL rivals Bristol and New Hope-Solebury.
“It was rocky in the beginning but it’s getting better now,” said Murray. “It’s coming together at the right time--right before the playoffs.”
Evans didn’t get the win last week--Driscoll did--but Matt is 3-1 on the season with mound victories over Faith Christian, Girard College and Plumstead Christian Academy. Evans and senior ace Chad Demi have been the Bulldogs one-two punch on the hill this season. The pitcher of record in both the win over the Drakes and another over DelCo Christian, Demi surrendered a single run in both wins combined.
“He’s facing all the big dog teams and he’s coming out and throwing strikes,” stated Murray. “He’s putting a lot of them down so he’s stepping up a lot.
“If we get the bats going together with him [on the mound], we can beat anybody.”
While Demi did his job on the hill, the ‘Dawgs put the bat on the ball, pushing 10 runs across the plate in each of the wins over the Drakes and DelCo.
But it was more than that, said Demi.
“Runs are always good but even better, everybody was making the plays in the field,” stated Demi. “I had a few strikeouts but the people in the field did their job; that’s what gave us the victory.”
In addition to a slow start, Morrisville also experienced some growing pains with a midseason slump that saw the Bulldogs drop a 10-6 game to Devon Prep and another to Friends League rival George School.
“[Devon Prep] came out and swung the bats really good that game,” explained Evans. “Their pitcher came out and threw strikes and did what he had to do.”
More recent wins over Jenkintown and now, Lower Moreland, have righted the Bulldogs’ ship just in time for the postseason.
“We had a couple of tough losses in there but right now, we’re hitting our stride at the right time, winning games that we need to win--winning the big games,” said Evans.
“Right now, it looks pretty good heading into districts.”
Last year, Mo’ville made it all the way to the District One championship before falling to Christopher Dock. The Bulldogs used comeback wins to get to the D-I finale. Down two runs, the Bulldogs put up a three-spot in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with a 7-6 triumph over Bristol in the opener. Tied at 3-all against DelCo, then senior pitcher Matt Miller hit a grand slam in the top of the eighth before retiring the side to send Morrisville to the championship.
While the Bulldogs lost that game, 10-0, the game that everybody remembers the most this season is this year’s 11-1 loss to Bristol. Against lefty Mike Devane, the ’Dawgs just couldn’t seem to get any wood on the ball in key situations.
“Bristol was a killer,” stated Demi. “If we played them now, the tables would be turned--we’d be up 11 runs on them.
With district seeding expected to be announced sometime tomorrow (May 15), the Bulldogs are hoping to draw Bristol in district play once again.
Morrisville is more than likely hoping to conjure images of last year’s run to the D-I finale.
***
NOTES: District play begins May 21 with the semifinal slated for May 26 and the championship May 28 (weather permitting).
Sports Editor
Last year, Morrisville captured the BAL Constitution Division championship hands down. This season, the Bulldogs were forced to go to the wire with DelCo Christian Academy and Jenkintown breathing down their necks right down to the last BAL matchup.
Morrisville entered their league finale May 13 tied with DelCo and Jenkintown. Both teams had five BAL wins, threatening the Bulldogs chances of repeating as Constitution champions.
At 5-6 overall, Morrisville’s season had been a mixed bag of sorts with the Bulldogs winning all the games they should have won and none of those they could have.
Last Wednesday at Williamson Park, the ‘Dawgs reversed that trend in a single inning, plating 10 runs to end the game early while sending Lower Moreland home on the short side of an 18-8 score.
Though Morrisville remained unbeaten in the Constitution Division all season long, the defending division champion Bulldogs needed a win against the Lions in order to repeat. That’s exactly what they got.
“Last year, we easily won the division,” stated starting pitcher Matt Evans. “This year, we had to work for it.
“Coming out and winning the games we had to win--that’s been the highlight to the season.”
Ahead, 8-3, after four innings, Lower Moreland chased Evans from the hill with 5 runs in the top of the fifth. With two on and two out, sophomore righthander Steve Driscoll came on and extinguished the Lions’ rally however without any further damage.
Morrisville went right back to work in the bottom of the frame. The big blow was struck by senior first baseman Marty Murray, who cleared the bases with a grand slam in the fifth.
For Murray, it was his second home run of the day. He hit a 2-run shot earlier in the battle.
“We knew the importance of the game and we had the top of the lineup coming up so if we were going to do it, it was going to be then,” said Murray.
With Eugene Figeuroa, Evans and another runner cramming the bases, Murray got the pitch he was looking for on the first pitch. The senior smoked it.
“He threw me a pitch I could hit. I went up there and I was sitting dead red. I wanted that pitch and I got it.”
Kyle Schnee and Chad Demi also hit for safeties in the contest.
“We came out in the fifth inning and put up a couple of long balls,” stated Evans. “We’re swinging the bats good right now; that’s all you can really ask for.”
While the May 13 win was sandwiched between a 10-run loss to non-league rival Holy Ghost Prep, it came right after a 10-run triumph over Jenkintown. According to Murray, the ‘Dawgs have come a long way since the beginning of the season when they dropped three of their first four including losses to BAL rivals Bristol and New Hope-Solebury.
“It was rocky in the beginning but it’s getting better now,” said Murray. “It’s coming together at the right time--right before the playoffs.”
Evans didn’t get the win last week--Driscoll did--but Matt is 3-1 on the season with mound victories over Faith Christian, Girard College and Plumstead Christian Academy. Evans and senior ace Chad Demi have been the Bulldogs one-two punch on the hill this season. The pitcher of record in both the win over the Drakes and another over DelCo Christian, Demi surrendered a single run in both wins combined.
“He’s facing all the big dog teams and he’s coming out and throwing strikes,” stated Murray. “He’s putting a lot of them down so he’s stepping up a lot.
“If we get the bats going together with him [on the mound], we can beat anybody.”
While Demi did his job on the hill, the ‘Dawgs put the bat on the ball, pushing 10 runs across the plate in each of the wins over the Drakes and DelCo.
But it was more than that, said Demi.
“Runs are always good but even better, everybody was making the plays in the field,” stated Demi. “I had a few strikeouts but the people in the field did their job; that’s what gave us the victory.”
In addition to a slow start, Morrisville also experienced some growing pains with a midseason slump that saw the Bulldogs drop a 10-6 game to Devon Prep and another to Friends League rival George School.
“[Devon Prep] came out and swung the bats really good that game,” explained Evans. “Their pitcher came out and threw strikes and did what he had to do.”
More recent wins over Jenkintown and now, Lower Moreland, have righted the Bulldogs’ ship just in time for the postseason.
“We had a couple of tough losses in there but right now, we’re hitting our stride at the right time, winning games that we need to win--winning the big games,” said Evans.
“Right now, it looks pretty good heading into districts.”
Last year, Mo’ville made it all the way to the District One championship before falling to Christopher Dock. The Bulldogs used comeback wins to get to the D-I finale. Down two runs, the Bulldogs put up a three-spot in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with a 7-6 triumph over Bristol in the opener. Tied at 3-all against DelCo, then senior pitcher Matt Miller hit a grand slam in the top of the eighth before retiring the side to send Morrisville to the championship.
While the Bulldogs lost that game, 10-0, the game that everybody remembers the most this season is this year’s 11-1 loss to Bristol. Against lefty Mike Devane, the ’Dawgs just couldn’t seem to get any wood on the ball in key situations.
“Bristol was a killer,” stated Demi. “If we played them now, the tables would be turned--we’d be up 11 runs on them.
With district seeding expected to be announced sometime tomorrow (May 15), the Bulldogs are hoping to draw Bristol in district play once again.
Morrisville is more than likely hoping to conjure images of last year’s run to the D-I finale.
***
NOTES: District play begins May 21 with the semifinal slated for May 26 and the championship May 28 (weather permitting).
Labels: Baseball, Morrisville
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