Baseball: Dalton, Pennridge oust Neshaminy

PENNRIDGE 7, NESHAMINY 1

After getting the starting nod a day earlier from Pennridge skipper Tom Nuneviller, Trevor Dalton had some anxious moments prior to Wednesday's PIAA District 1 Class AAAA second-round matchup versus Neshaminy.

"I was nervous, but also excited about the chance," the senior southpaw said. "I just knew I had to throw strikes, get them to put the ball in play."

With Dalton allowing only three hits and one run in 4 2/3 innings of work, the visiting Rams, capitalizing on four errors, eliminated the Redskins, 7-1, in Langhorne.

"He did a great job," Nuneviller said. "For him to go out there and get us into the fifth inning, it was a big boost."

Nuneviller turned to Dalton after senior ace Evan Myers went 5 2/3 innings in Monday's first-round triumph over Great Valley. "I'm glad it was me, because I wanted to help the team out," Dalton said.

In the second inning, after giving up a two-out double to Kyle Skeels and issuing two walks, the 5-foot-9, 140-pounder escaped the jam by inducing a fly ball to left field.

In the third, following a two-out fielding error, Jake Gordon gave Pennridge a 2-0 lead with a shot over the left-field fence.

Monmouth commit Justin Andrews, a top-notch lefthander, took the hill for Neshaminy. "That was a little bit intimidating," Dalton said. "But after we started to get some hits, it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. It was easier to go out and pitch my game."

Next for the Rams, the No. 10 seed from the North, is a Friday quarfinal at sixth-seeded Boyertown. The Bears, of the Pioneer Athletic Conference, ousted West Chester Henderson, the South's No. 3 seed, Wednesday by a 5-1 decision.

"Boyertown is Boyertown," Nuneviller said. "It's a hot team, one that is always good with the fundamentals."

Dalton, of Dublin, Bucks County, gave way to sophomore righthander David Tatoian after Andrews' two-out double to left-center in the fifth. Tatoian surrendered an RBI single to Tom Kreiling and then, after plunking two straight batters, escaped with a 6-3 groundout.

"I would have loved to have finished the inning, but at the same time I understand the move," said Dalton, who will pitch at Delaware Valley College. "[Tatoian] throws a little harder, and it gave Neshaminy a different look."

In the seventh, with Pennridge (16-6) ahead by 3-1, Tatoian's three-run double to right-center served as the clincher.

The No. 2-seeded Redskins (15-5) left 12 runners on base. In the seventh, with the sacks filled, Tatoian notched the final out on a right-side foul pop.

Pennridge 000 201 4-7 6 1

Neshaminy 000 010 0-1 7 4

WP: Trevor Dalton. LP: Justin Andrews. 2B: P-David Tatoian, Joe Molettiere; N-Andrews, Kyle Skeels. HR: P-Jake Gordon.