By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

The early-season baseball game between Unionville and Oxford had all of the makings of a typical Ches-Mont battle – sparkling plays, walks that manufacture themselves into potential rallies and a few miscues along the way – but on March 31 on the Longhorns’ field, those who attended Unionville’s 4-0 win – highlighted by UV’s three-run fifth - were treated to a good old fashioned pitcher’s duel between starting pitchers Landon Rozich of Oxford and Braden Pomponi of Unionville.

For nearly five innings, the two hurlers held their opponents to few hits and no runs, despite each team threatening to push across a run. In the bottom of the second, Pomponi drew a walk, advanced to second on an attempted pick-off and then went to third on a passed ball. With two out, however, Rozich fanned Cole Donnelly to shut down the Longhorn’s rally.

In the top of the third, walks to Cole Jennings and Sam Stancil and a single by Rozich loaded the bases with one away, but a 4-6-3 double play crushed the Hornets’ hopes of getting on the board.

As the clubs entered the fourth inning with no runs, Rozich and Pomponi were nearly deadlocked in their pitch counts – 60 to 59, respectively – but Oxford mounted another rally in their fourth that began with a single by Dylan Harris, who then stole second and third, but after Unionville catcher Gavin Griffith’s attempt to gun down Harris went pas third baseman Jake Daily, left fielder Nate Bonsall threw a perfect strike to nab the sliding Harris at the plate to preserve Pomponi’s shutout.

In the top of the fifth, Pomponi was pulled in favor of reliever Drew Puleo, who proceeded to snuff out the Oxford lineup for the next three innings and surrendering just two hits, while his teammates exploded for a three-run fifth against Rozich that began when Colin Albert hit an infield topper that was overthrown, driving in Donnelley and Chase Parisi for the game’s first two runs. Rozich - who had fired 96 pitches and surrendered only two hits in a superb outing - was subsequently replaced by reliever Aidan Loesch, who gave up a single to right by Daily that drove in Albert to make it 3-0. In their half of the sixth, Unionville tacked on its final run of the game when Puleo walked, stole second, got to third on a passed ball and scored on Jack Wilson’s single to right.

The win gave the Longhorns a 4-2 overall record on the season, with upcoming away games against West Chester East on April 4 and cross-town rival Kennett on April 7. The Hornets, now 3-4 overall, will face Schenevus Central on April 3 and Downingtown East on April 4.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].