**Note: This article originally published in The Reporter and on GameTimePA.com**
WARRINGTON — The North Penn baseball team used an outstanding pitching performance and timely 2-out hitting to establish a lead and pull away late in an 8-0 Suburban One League Continental Conference win over Central Bucks South Thursday.
Knights pitcher Kellen Williamson was the story on this day. He threw a complete game shutout on just 72 pitches, scattering six hits and walking none while striking out two.
“We’ve been getting very good starting pitching,’ North Penn coach Kevin Manero said. “And it just goes to show you — don’t walk people, don’t make errors and a lot of things have to go right for another team to beat you… They did hit some balls hard. (Williamson) got some balls up and we made some plays, but that’s baseball.’
Williamson agreed with his coach after the game, but he still found a way to battle through and get the job done.
“I actually didn’t have any of my stuff today and I couldn’t hit a spot,’ Williamson said. “I was just throwing the ball, trying to get it over the plate, let them hit it and let my fielders do whatever they can.’
North Penn (8-1 overall, 6-1 conference) did commit two errors on the day, including one in the fourth to load the bases with the score 4-0. Williamson was able to induce a critical 6-4-3 double play to the next batter however, and South’s only real threat of the game was shut down.
CB South (5-4 overall, 2-4 conference) showcased a quality starter themselves with Mike Kuypers, who gave up 4 runs over his six innings pitched while striking out eight. The Knights were able to grind out five two-out RBIs on the day, however, two of which came against Kuypers.
“I think 2-out hitting is one of the most important things an offense can do,’ Manero said. “Obviously you want to score early and keep the lead as much as you can during the game but when you get into a situation when you get a chance to scratch out some late runs that’s big. It’s putting good swings on the ball, staying persistent and just staying within yourself in key spots. We had a couple guys do that real well today.’
Mason Nadeau led the charge on offense for North Penn, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs, two runs scored and a game-changing two-out double in the fourth to change the score from 2-0 to 4-0.
“I was just trying to square things up and hit it solid,’ Nadeau said. “I was struggling a little bit and last night I was doing some hitting and something clicked. It was good to go out there, hit the ball solid and contribute to my team.’
North Penn’s remaining two-out runs came as insurance in the seventh by way of a three-run opposite-field home run by pinch-hitter Kadar Namey.
Mike Christy had a hand in the Knights’ offense as well, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, a run scored and two steals on the day. Three-hitter Jared Melone went 3-for-4, including a run scored, a stolen base and an RBI single in the third inning that drove in Anthony Cameron to open the scoring.
North Penn looks to continue its winning ways Tuesday at Central Bucks East, while CB South takes on Pennridge at home.
North Penn 8, Central Bucks South 0
North Penn 002 200 4 — 8 12 2
Central Bucks South 000 000 0 — 0 6 1
WP: Kellen Williamson 7 IP 6 H 0 R 0 ER 0BB 2 SO; 108 pitches.
LP: Mike Kuypers 6 IP 9 H 4 R 4 ER 2 BB 8 SO; 72 pitches.
2B: CBS-Happ, Anastasia; NP-Nadeau; HR: NP-Namey; SB: NP-Christy (2), Melone
North Penn: Melone 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB; Nadeau 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R; Christy 2-4 2 RBI, 1 R; Cameron 2-2 2 R, BB; Namey 1-1 3 RBI.
Central Bucks South: Anastasia 2-3; Rossi, K. 2-3.
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