The Strath Haven varsity baseball team is unstoppable this season, taking the Central League crown by shutting out Harriton in a 5-0 game on May 5, but even more recently taking home a District title against Upper Dublin on May 31.
In the past three years, the Panthers varsity team has won two Central League titles, two District titles, and went to state playoff games.
On May 16, Haven had their Senior Night against Interboro. They celebrated seniors Alex Pak, Sam Milligan, Nick Corritore, Noah Green, Jack Edwards, Bobby Fooskas, and Joe Natale.
Despite their efforts, the team’s biggest challenge seems to be making contact and hitting the ball, so it’s been a focal point for the season. Sophomore pitcher and first baseman Luke D’Ancona commented on their hopes for the playoffs.
“I hope that we start hitting,” D’Ancona said. “And if we don’t start hitting, I hope that our pitching is up to where it’s been.”
That afternoon, senior Alex Pak and junior Jake McDonough scored home runs, with other runs scored by junior Matt Kane and seniors Noah Green and Bobby Fooskas, racking the final score up to 8-5, taking victory over the Buccaneers.
Haven’s overall record so far is 19-4, with their conference record being 14-2, only losing to only Upper Darby and Ridley (within the conference). So far, they’ve scored 135 runs, and have allowed only 63 to get by.
On May 24, they hosted Phoenixville for the second round of playoffs, shutting them out with a 5-0 win.
Next, Haven won an 11-5 victory in the third round on May 26 against West Chester Rustin at home.
Momentum was built towards a rematch of last year’s district final against top-seeded Upper Dublin at Villanova Ballpark on Tuesday, May 30, hoping to seek revenge after their loss last year.
It all came down to the final inning, when Haven brought it home with a final score of 7-4 against the Cardinals. The Panther Pack—the nickname of Strath Haven’s student section—came to the field to support, dressed in black, and stormed the field at the conclusion of the game.
D’Ancona was on the mound with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the bottom of the 7th, only one pitch away from taking the district championship..
“The energy was incredible and everyone was just knowing that we were one pitch away,” he said. “Everyone knew what had happened last year, and we knew it wasn’t going to happen again. I was getting chirped the whole game by the other student section, so I was just thinking about shutting them down and silencing them.
“We’ve wanted this moment since the last inning of last year, and it’s incredible to see all of the hard work that the team put in in the off-season and during this season, and seeing it all pay off makes everything worth it.”
D’Ancona threw the pitch and the pop-up hit was caught by sophomore second baseman Ben Milligan, ending the game and securing the District 5A trophy.
On Monday June 5, the Panthers will challenge Lower Dauphin, District 3’s fourth-place team in the first round of the PIAA Class 5A tournament. The game will happen at Neumann University. Tickets available at the PIAA website.
