Pennsville’s O’Brien plays big role in eighth-inning rally that sends Tri-Cape to Carpenter Cup finals for fourth year in a row
CARPENTER CUP
Tuesday’s semifinals
at Citizens Bank Park
InterAc 5, Jersey Shore 4
Tri-Cape 6, Delaware County 3
Championship Wednesday
at Citizens Bank Park
InterAc vs. Tri-Cape, 9:30 a.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PHILADELPHIA — Peyton O’Brien never took part in Kids Run The Bases at Citizens Bank Park when he was growing up, but given the chance Tuesday afternoon, he ran like the wind.
The rising Pennsville senior might not have the wheels of Trea Turner, but his Bryce Harper-like base-running savvy played a big part in the eighth-inning rally that lifted his Tri-Cape All-Stars past Delaware County 6-3 and into the Carpenter Cup championship game for the fourth year in a row.
Tri-Cape will play the InterAc/Independent stars in CBP Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. They raised the Cup in 2021 and 2022 and lost in the title game last year.
“Man, it’s awesome,” O’Brien said. “For one, to just be able to play in this park and, two, to be to be able to play for something makes it’s even better.”
The Tri-Cape/Delco game was tied at 3 after Delco scored twice in the top of the eighth, but Tri-Cape answered quickly in what manager D.J. Gore called “the epitome” of the secret to the program’s success in this four-year run: Buying into what the coaches ask the players to do.
Hunter Ray (Lower Cape May) led off the bottom half of inning with a walk and with one out O’Brien, who entered the game in the sixth for starting Pennsville teammate Chase Burchfield, sent a shot into right centerfield for his second hit of the tournament. Ray drew a throw to third and O’Brien smartly took the extra base when the infielders drifted away from the bag.
Zach Maxwell (Delsea) then dropped a “terrific” bunt in front of the plate that Gore called the difference in the game. Delco third baseman Harrison Maull charged and tried to backhand flip it toward home, but the ball sailed well past the catcher allowing Ray to score the go-ahead run. O’Brien kept coming and slid in well ahead of the ball getting back to the pitcher covering to make it 5-3.
“I always try to stay aggressive,” O’Brien said. “I might not be the fastest kid, but whenever I can get an extra bag I try to take it and try to do my best on the bases because that’s a big asset in the game that people forget about.
“On the ball I hit I was just trying to get an extra bag. I took a peek at second and saw there was no one covering and I thought the outfielder was going to try to throw the guy out at third so I knew I had an advantage so I took the extra bag. (On the bunt) I was down to third as quick as I could and as soon as I saw that ball go by the catcher I didn’t think twice, I just went straight home.”
“It was good baserunning,” Gore said. “It was a good baseball play.”
The burst of speed certainly impressed O’Brien’s teammates.
“I just think he must have been put on the treadmill lately,” Burchfield said. “He can run now.”
Burchfield drew the start at DH and reached base in both his plate appearances after falling behind 0-2 in both at-bats. He coaxed a walk in the third inning and scored Tri-Cape’s first run and singled to left to load the bases in the fourth.
“I went down 0-2 and I knew I just had to put something in play,” he said. “I didn’t want to strike out on three pitches; I was like I’ve got to work an at-bat here. It landed in the right spot, so it felt pretty good. I wasn’t nervous. I thought it was pretty fun to be out here and get a hit.”
Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky threw an inning out of the bullpen. He got Tri-Cape out of a jam in the sixth, but left with two on and one out in the seventh.
He replaced Travis Large (Ocean City) after Campbell McCormack one-hopped the fence to plate Delco’s first run. He put the tying run on base with a walk, but got out of the trouble with an fielder’s choice that put runners at the corners and an inning-ending strikeout.
His seventh started well with a ground out to first, but he was lifted after a walk and a single. Nate Bott (Kingsway) put out that fire and wound up getting the win.
“I was kind of nervous (but) no more nervous than other places, like normal ball parks,” Pokrovsky said. “I just tried to throw strikes, but I was pulling off a lot.”
It was likely the left-hander’s final pitching outing of the tournament as Gore said he would be used as a position player/hitter in the championship game. Pokrovsky has pitched in all three of Tri-Cape’s tournaments games thus far. In 3 2/3 innings he allowed two hits, no runs and struck out five.
After today we’re going to be able to flip Luke to be able to hit tomorrow so we’re going to look to see that side of him,” Gore said. “I know that’s a really special side. He’s done a really good job for us on the mound, but he’ll be a position player for us tomorrow.”
In the other semifinal, InterAc scored four runs in the ninth inning to take the lead, then held off a rally in the bottom of the ninth to eliminate defending champion Jersey Shore 5-4. They will be playing in the championship game for the first time.
Tri-Cape 6, Delaware County 3
| Delaware County | 000 | 001 | 020- | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Tri-Cape | 001 | 020 | 03X- | 6 | 7 | 1 |
InterAc 5, Jersey Shore 4
| Inter-Ac | 000 | 001 | 004- | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Jersey Shore | 000 | 100 | 201- | 4 | 5 | 1 |
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