Christopher Dock captures District 1 title

Maybe winning can get old.

Christopher Dock's baseball coaches had to plead with their players in the dugout to stand up when they were one out away from winning their third straight PIAA District 1 Class A championship Wednesday at Upper Dublin High.

The final out, a sharply-hit line drive to center field, was secured by Andrew Gordon and the Pioneers had a 14-2, five-inning win over Bristol.

Christopher Dock opens play in the state tournament on Monday against District 12 champ Girard Academic Music Program.

Ther Pioneers batted around in each of the first two innings and opened a 9-0 lead.

Ryan Seiz, the University of Louisville-bound senior, started the rout with an RBI double in the first inning and finished 3 for 4 with a double, two triples, and four RBIs. Seiz's second triple would have easily cleared an outfield fence if there had been one.

Seiz caught the game for senior Brandon Reichart, who pitched all five innings, allowing two runs, scattering five hits and striking out seven.

"I definitely wanted to mix in some off-speed stuff because I know they have some big bats in their lineup," Reichart said.

"Me and Seiz talked about just hitting our points and we thought that would be the key to getting batters out."

With the high-scoring first two innings, the Pioneers (16-3) were able knock out Bristol starting pitcher Kyle Weik. Bristol coach Tony Mangiaracina then tapped freshman lefthander Sean Coughlin to face the Pioneers' potent offense.

Coughlin, or "Little Sean" as his coach calls him, pitched three innings of relief, including two scoreless, while attacking the Dock hitters with off-speed pitches. Mangiaracina was encouraged by what he saw from the freshman on a big stage.

"For a freshman to come into a championship game and pitch the way he pitched," Mangiaracina said, "absolutely I have nothing but positive things to say about him. I look forward to the next couple of years with him."

Christopher Dock defeated Bristol in the championship for the second consecutive year. The victory was the Pioneers' 13th straight.

The spoils of victory seemed to go unnoticed by the Christopher Dock players though. The players quietly awaited championship medals to be draped around their necks and took a few pictures with the trophy, seemingly only to appease their parents. Clearly their minds were on their next game.

"I think we have a really good chance to win states this year," Seiz said. "Overall, we're just a very good team, we have two aces on our staff and we are hitting the ball really well right now."

Christopher Dock 360 50 - 14 14 0

Bristol 001 01 - 2 5 2

WP: Brandon Reichart. LP: Kyle Weik. 2B: CD-Ryan Seiz, Alex Summers, Andrew Gordon. 3B: CD-Ryan Seiz 2.