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Following Friday’s 8-3 Public League championship defeat at Richie Ashburn Field, 20th Street and Pattison Avenue, Art Kratchman let his diamond inhabitants know their postseason run had stunned even him.
“Nobody expected this, including me,” the coach at Girard Academic Music Program, 2136 Ritner St., said. “Be proud of your accomplishments, and get ready for the state tournament, which is the real deal.”
Fresh off May 23’s thrilling 9-7 come-from-behind semifinal triumph against Central, his Pioneers, the District 12 Class A titlists, had hoped to down a second straight heavy favorite and join the 2002 athletes as league conquerors. Despite passionate fans and tireless will, the Girard Estate representatives suffered their season’s third setback against defending champion Frankford.
Kratchman deemed senior right-hander Desmond Drummond his starting pitcher, but before the Second Team All-Public pick hurled his assortment, he drilled a two-run homer on an 0-2 pitch in the top of the first inning. Virtually unchallenged in advancing to its ninth final over the last decade, Frankford rallied against the North Philadelphian in its half, notching three scores. GAMP, whose bats sizzled against Central, saw its momentum fizzle over the next four frames, with only two base runners to show for a collection of mighty cuts.
Though whiffing five times, Frankford adjusted to Drummond’s offerings, using hits and errors to plate five combined tallies in the fourth and fifth sessions.
“We need guys on,” Kratchman said as his squad opened the sixth.
Two singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases, but a double play and a strikeout enabled only one run to score, subduing the lively “Let’s go, GAMP” chant. The Pioneers bellowed “1,2,3, runs” before the seventh but went down meekly.
“It’s not likely anything I will say can take away the hurt,” Kratchman said. “However, if we just wait for that ball, we’ll all be better. The states are going to give us a chance to surprise even more people.”
The 14-11 Pioneers will open the Class A tournament Monday against a squad that was to be determined after press time.
“Just like with today, we’re definitely not going further with losing on our minds,” Drummond, in his first year of tossing pitches, said.
His squad must improve its fielding and throwing if it is to thrive, Drummond said. Though he absorbed the title loss, he quickly put it behind him.
“We could have had them,” he said. “We tried hard and will be ready for the states.”
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124. Comment at southphillyreview.com/sports/features.
Staff Photo by Greg Bezanis
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