Unionville looks to get high seed in playoffs, wins 17th game over Great Valley
By Steven Silverman, Correspondent, The Times
Second baseman Sean Faux trots in with Unionville’s fifth run of the day
EAST MARLBOROUGH — Bring on the playoffs! The Unionville High School baseball team capped one of the most successful regular seasons in recent memory, with a 6-2 win over Great Valley, Monday.
With 17 wins and a Ches Mont American title already in the rearview mirror, The Indians (17-3 overall, 17-2 Ches-Mont) now look to do serious damage in the postseason. But Unionville first needed to complete the regular season and not let down, after clinching a league title last week — and once again it showed why it has may be the best team in Chester County in 2013.
Sophomore Alex Pechin got the ball and turned in another solid start on the mound. Pechin pitched four innings, allowing only one hit and one walk before being lifted for pinch-hitter Patrick McAnally in the bottom of the fourth.
Pechin got the scoring started in the bottom of the second, driving in Drew Jarmuz with a sacrifice fly. Nick Godek, who had reached on a two-base error, then scored on second baseman Sean Faux’s single. Faux proceeded to steal second, and the move paid dividends when shortstop Nick Ward singled him home to push the lead to 3-0.
The Indians tacked on another run in the third when senior catcher Kyle Langerhans, who had reached base on an error by the Patriots’ third baseman, came around to score on Jarmuz’s two-out double. Junior leftfielder Matt Foster had saved a run in the top of the inning with a nice sliding catch near the foul line.
Unionville’s Alex Pechin delivers home, Monday, against Great Valley.
They extended their lead with some small-ball in the fourth: third basemen Chris Koehler led off the inning with a walk. After McAnally flied out for Pechin, Faux singled and Ward was hit by a pitch. Langerhans grounded to third, and Great Valley smartly forced Koehler at home, but was unable to complete the double play. Senior centerfielder Kyle Fries made them pay by mashing a double to right-center, plating Faux and Ward.
That was all the Indians were able to muster. Great Valley made things interesting by nickel-and-diming Foster for two runs with two singles (one infield) and three walks, but the relief duo of Andrew Jones and Kyle Fries shut the Patriots down over the final two innings. A bit of questionable strategy by the Great Valley manager—calling for a sacrifice bunt with one on and nobody out, and down by three runs—helped Jones make quick work of the sixth, and Fries overcame a leadoff walk to get the next three batters, punctuating the game with a looking strikeout of Great Valley catcher David Iacobucci.
Unionville coach Mike Magee was effusive in his praise of the team, noting that the close of the regular season marks Unionville’s first league title since 2002. “It’s a great accomplishment for the guys. Not only did we win the league, we swept the American Division…it’s been a great year.”
The team looks to continue its winning ways in the District 1 tournament, which begins next week. Unionville should receive a high seed, and consequently a home game in the first round.
