Redbirds taking everything one at a time.
By: Kyle Moylan
When Rich Dawson notes that his Allentown High School baseball team is approaching this season one game at a time, that actually is a bit misleading.
Make that one inning. One out. One strike.
"If you do that, the wins will come," Dawson noted.
The wins have started to come for Allentown this past week. After the team got off to a 2-7 start, it has won three in a row. Dawson refuses to let himself or his team – think too far ahead, but the state playoffs are now a possibility.
With his team hitting the ball well and still losing at the start of the season, Dawson knew he had to make changes. He decided to focus on defense, moving around players on the infield. Mike Weisz and Matt Mordas are now the players handling the key shortstop position.
With an improved defense, Dawson decided to challenge his pitchers.
"We have, basically, mentally challenged our pitchers to be more aggressive," Dawson noted. "Our pitchers are throwing a lot more strikes. They are throwing the ball over the plate, letting the guys hit it and the guys behind them catch the ball. They turned in a good performance last week."
Before this past week, Allentown only two wins were against Princeton Day School (9-3) and Princeton (11-5). Allentown also hit the ball fairly well in its seven losses. The team was never held below 3 runs and it was averaging about 6 runs a game in its losses.
Allentown put its offense, defense and pitching together in a 9-2 win over Hopewell Valley on April 24.
James Petersen was the winning pitcher, allowing 4 hits and 2 earned runs in his complete-game effort.
Allentown had 7 hits, walked 5 times and also used a hit batter, a wild pitch, two balks and 5 Hopewell errors to apply almost constant pressure on offense.
Allentown scored 2 runs in the second, 1 in the third, 3 in the fourth, 1 in the sixth and 2 more in the seventh. Dave Griffths (hit), Chris McCanns (2 hits) and Dave Petersen (hit and steal) each scored 2 runs. Lou Carta had a hit, run scored and 2 RBI.
"We went to more of a running game," Dawson noted. "We put the ball in play and put more pressure on the defense. We forced them to make the plays and they weren’t always able to do it. It was the same thing in the Princeton Day game. We had seven steals against Princeton Day School."
Allentown was successful on 7 of its 8 stolen base attempts in a 4-3 win over Princeton Day School this past Friday.
Even with control of the basepaths, Allentown was trailing 3-1 going into the last of the fifth inning.
Steve Fcasni started for Allentown and allowed 3 runs in 4 and a third innings of work. He was relieved by Craig Conk, who pitched scoreless ball the rest of the way.
Mario Zapicchi got Allentown even with a clutch hit in the last of the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, Rob Crotchfelt drove home the winning run with a pinch hit single.
Allentown also picked up a forfeit win over Granville Charter last week.
"Including the forfeit, that’s three in a row," Dawson noted. "Winning is definitely contagious. Once they got it into their minds that they could win the close games, it gives them the right thought process. But we have to make sure to take it one game at a time. If we look beyond our next game, we’re doomed."
Allentown was scheduled to face West Windsor North this past Tuesday and Steinert yesterday. Nottingham, Lawrence, Princeton and McCorristin are also on the schedule before the May 10 cutoff date to make the state playoffs. With teams needing to be .500 or better to qualify for the playoffs, Allentown needs to go at least 4-2 in those six games.
"One game at a time. One inning at a time. One out at a time. The wins will come," Dawson noted.