Red Raiders punch their ticket to big dance with win over C.B. West
By Dave Conard Sports Editor, CoatesvilleTimes.com
Coatesville's Brady Carras (pictured) and C.J Young have been doing a great job getting on base
PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP—It has been a tale of two seasons for the Red Raiders, the Coatesville team that posted an 11-10 regular season by playing stingy defense, suffocating opponents bats with solid pitching and the offense chipping in with a timely hit or two.
Then there is the Red Raiders that have taken the PIAA District One post season by storm.
Shutting out perennial contender Boyertown in Bear Stadium, a feat no easily achieved, got the ball rolling so to speak, but since then Coatesville (14-11) has been lighting it up offensively averaging 8.25 runs per game, while torching opposing pitchers a better than .350 batting average in that span.
Wins over Penncrest and Downingtown West had put the Red Raiders in position to claim a berth in next week’s win or go home, all or nothing Pennsylvania State Tournament.
Coatesville mhead coach hal Zeigler said best "We didn't hit for 18 out of 20 games, we were due to start, since we kept doing the work."
On Thursday it didn’t look great for the Red Raiders in the early going as Central Buck West (North 8 seed) got out to a 4-1 lead, but the pitching well for the Bucks was beginning to run dry as Coatesville, led by a six RBI day by T.J Mayo posted a five spot in the home second to take a 6-4 edge.
Three hits off the bats of team leading hitter and ace pitcher Marty Martens, were not enough to push the West offense as Coatesville (South 12 seed) coasted to the final frame after pushing across three more runs in the fourth.
The Red Raiders pitching locked down the Bucks following the second inning until Martens drove in one run in the top of the seventh, but the big story again was the offense as Coatesville rapped out nine hits as it held on for a 9-5 win.
More importantly they are now three wins away from a date at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College on Friday June 15th in the state championship game.
The quest for a state championship begins on Monday June 4th as the Red Raiders will be matched up again PIAA District Three champion Cedar Crest, who defeated Penn Manor (13-11) for the title on Thursday 8-2.
Cedar Crest (21-3 overall, 17-3 regular season) will enter the tournament having claimed their second District Three class AAAA title the last three years, after taking to the field in the District Three bracket as the second rated squad (.771) in the district behind Hempfield Area with a power rating of (.774).
Red Raiders centerfielder Chris O'Hagan has been helping with the bat, not just his glove during Coatesville play off run
Coatesville sophomore Brian Brown who has posted a 2-0 record, 3.85 ERA and 17 strike outs in the post season, will more than likely get the start for Coatesville as the game will played at a neutral site.
When Coatesville faces off with the Falcons on Monday they very well may see standout senior pitcher Dan Black, who truck out 11 in the final against Penn Manor.
The Red Raiders will need to continue stroking the baseball as they have in the post season as they depend on Jake Kennedy (9 hits, 3 HR, 12 RBI), Emmett Hunt (6 hits, 5 RBI) and TJ Mayo (6 hits, 10 RIB) to drive in CJ Young, Brian Brown and Brady Carras as they set the table.
Central Bucks West 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 -5 9 1
Coatesville 1 5 0 3 0 0 x -9 9 1
