Baseball: Zimmerman keeps Marple Newtown in control of Strath Haven

NETHER PROVIDENCE >> Luke Zimmerman couldn’t resist the opportunity at Saint Joseph’s University. A Division I baseball program had recruited the Marple Newtown senior for his talents on the mound and in the batter’s box.

“I’m going in as a two-way player, so I’m going to hit and pitch,” Zimmerman said. “That, obviously, was very important. I like the coaches a lot, they’re good guys, and the kids I’m going in with … they’re all real nice kids. Looking forward to it.”

On April 9, though, Zimmerman is focused on leading Marple Newtown to its second consecutive District 1 Class 5A title. If he can be half as effective as he was Monday, the Tigers will be in pretty good shape. Zimmerman pitched six innings of dominant baseball in a 5-0 Central League victory over Strath Haven. Showcasing a repertoire that included a fastball, cutter, changeup and curve, Zimmerman struck out 11 and allowed only four hits and one walk.

“This offseason I worked a lot on switching up my wind-up,” Zimmerman said. “Late during the year (last season), especially during playoffs, I was having a little bit of trouble throwing strikes. This outing and in my last outing, I threw a lot of strikes.”

On a dreary 40-degree day, the 6-0, 215-pound Zimmerman had no issues with his command. He threw every one of his 92 pitches with conviction and didn’t give the Panthers any chance to get comfortable in the box.

“He was throwing a really nice curveball,” Strath Haven catcher Brady Mutz said. “He was painting corners for strikes and really hitting his spots. We just have to keep working and getting better every day.”

Zimmerman gave up a pair of singles in the first inning but was dominant the rest of the way. All-Delco shortstop Anthony Viggiano, who reached on an infield single, was thrown out by left fielder Andrew Cantwell while trying to go from first to third on a single by Mutz. It was the final out of the inning and, effectively, the last really good scoring chance Haven had against Zimmerman. The Panthers managed to get runners on first and second in the fourth, but Zimmerman squashed the threat when he struck out Jack Mon and got Andrew Yates to fly out to center fielder Reilly Fillman.

“Once I am out there throwing, I don’t even realize that it’s cold, to be honest,” Zimmerman said. “I was kind of locked in and I didn’t think about the weather.”

Zimmerman’s opposite number threw the ball very well through five innings. Haven starter Henry Dawes limited the Tigers to no runs on three singles until the sixth, when the visitors sent seven batters to the plate and scored two runs. Fillman reached on a one-out single, and Zimmerman laced a single to make it first and third with one out. Senior catcher Luke Cantwell shot a single through the hole at shortstop, enabling Fillman to score the game’s first run. Moments later, Zimmerman — who isn’t known for his fleet feet — swiped home plate on the front end of a delayed double steal. Zimmerman sprinted down the third-base line and dove headfirst safely to give the Tigers a 2-0 advantage.

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