Bristol Advances To Winner's Bracket Final With Win Over Owls

The 411: There has been plenty written in the last two weeks about the offensive assault on the baseball by the bats of Bristol Post 382, which has put up staggering numbers scoring almost at-will and wearing out the opponents pitching staff.

On Wednesday night, it was slick defense, great pitching by Steve Arthur and outstanding play by the entire outfield that propelled Bristol into the winner’s bracket final for the second consecutive tournament.

In the Pennsylvania State tournament, tilt under the lights with hosts West Lawn, Bristol trailed 1-0, marking the first time they have been behind in a game since the Regional final versus Spring City. But, it only last until they came to bat in the home half, posting two runs and quickly reassuming the position that they have become so accustomed to on the scoreboard.

Owls starting pitcher Bryan Fegely did an outstanding job keeping the Bristol batters off balance, allowing just six hits, the lowest total of the post season, and only one extra base hit, but it was the timing of that extra base hit that did in the host team in their attempt to derail the “Bristol Express” that kept gaining momentum as it keeps heading down the track to a possible state final appearance.

First basemen Ryan Hires belted a double, which scored two runs to help Post 382 put up five runs in the sixth inning blowing open what was 2-1 nail biter heading into the frame, as the Black and Blue rolled to an 8-1 win, advancing to Thursday night’s winner’s bracket final.   

Players of the game: The Bristol outfield - West Lawn hit the ball hard all night but four diving catches by outfielders Jeff Lesko, Dave Blount (2) and Tommy Harmon kept the Owls from being able to capitalize on the base runners that they had. In the first inning, where the Owl had already posted one run, Tommy Harmon’s sliding catch of Collin Gombos’ drive into left center saved at least two runs. Dave Blount, in the second inning, ran more than 75 feet to track down a ball of the bat of West Lawn’s Erik Bowers, which prevented the ball from getting to the wall and scoring another run, for the third out of the inning, setting the tone for the evening.

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Other Key performers: Ryan Hires went 1-for-3 with 2 runs scored and 2RBI to compliment a 2-for-4 night with 2 runs scored by Kyle Tepper. Bristol pitcher Steve Arthur was effective after allowing two hits in the first, the big blast a triple from Dylan Boll, striking out five and allowing only five hit in seven inning of work.

Inside the lines: "We knew we could be good," said Kyle Tepper, when asked if he ever thought this run was possible. "We know we play in a tough league and actually have all been talking about the fact that some of the teams in our league are better than what we have played against in regional and here at states. This is just a great time for us if we stay focused. There is no reason we can't win this thing."

"What's been lost in all of the runs we have been scoring lately, is how well our defense has been playing," said Post 382 manager Tim Monoghan. "Tonight our defense stole the show. They held us to six hits and we ended with an 8-1 win because of how well these guys played in the field."

Say what?  "This is incredible," said Post 382 hurler Steve Arthur. "We talked about it last night as team at the hotel. We are at hotel together, playing baseball in the state tournament. I have played for four long years here and never thought we would ever be doing all of this. We are just thinking about baseball right now and can’t wait to get to the park. This is the time of our lives and after all of the years of sacrificing the whole beach thing in the summer, this has made it well worth it."

Extra Innings: In the Thursday night winner’s bracket final, from which the winner automatically qualifies for the championship game, Bristol Post 382, in its first Pennsylvania State tournament appearance in team history, will take the field tonight with the legendary Boyertown Bears.

Boyertown has won the state title three out of the past four seasons, until being dethroned by Spring City last year, and a record 23 state championships in the teams storied history.

"It doesn’t matter who we face, we have beaten World Series qualifiers and state champions to get here," added Monoghan. "We have to line up and take the field and play our game. I am confident these young men can hang with anybody."

Notes: West Lawn is the first team to prevent Bristol from scoring in four consecutive innings the the Pennsylvania regional and state post season, as well as being the only squad to keep Post 382 from scoring double digits in runs. The Owls pitching staff held Bristol, a team that has been avering 15 hits per game throughout the post season including a 22-hit game in the Region Three tournament, to just six hits on the night. 

Pennsylvania State Tournament bracket at Owls Field at Ted Palka Park

GAME 1  July 26   9:45      Black Hawk 11  Redland 3

GAME 2  July 26   1PM      Bristol 12  West Hempfield 1

GAME 3  July 26   4PM      Boyertwon 12  Plains 2

GAME 4  July 26   7PM      West Lawn 11 Millcreek 8

GAME 5  July 27   9:45      Redland 13  Plains 12

GAME 6  July 27   1PM      Millcreek 9 West Hempfield 3

GAME 7  July 27   4PM      Boyertown 4 Blackhawk 3 (10 innings)

GAME 8   July 27   7PM     Bristol 8  West Lawn 1

THURSDAY'S GAMES (JULY 28)

GAME 9    Thursday   12PM     Millcreek vs Blackhawk

GAME 10  Thursday    3PM      Red Land vs West Lawn

GAME 11  Thursday    7PM      Boyertown vs Bristol (winner advances to final)