The 6-foot, 165-pounder went the distance, allowing five hits (three in the first six innings), striking out six, and walking a pair. He threw 101 pitches, 70 for strikes.
DeStefano has had an ongoing battle with tendinitis. "It flared up in the last couple of weeks," the 18-year-old said. "But the coaches were able to give me some rest, and my arm felt incredible today. I could have pitched another seven innings."
On Monday, C.R. South, advancing to the state semifinals for the first time, will play District 6 champ Altoona, a 6-3 winner Thursday night over District 7 runner-up Mount Lebanon, at a site and time to be determined.
Against Coatesville, the Golden Hawks (22-2) did all their scoring in the second inning. The highlights were Zach Fitzgerald's two-run triple to right-center field and Jeff Miller's two-run double to right.
The bottom of the order set up the outburst. With one out, Kane Price, the No. 7 hitter, ripped a double to right. Mike Chaykin followed with an RBI single past shortstop, knocking in Price. And No. 9 man Steve Wright singled to short left.
"We really don't have any holes in the lineup," said Fitzgerald, a senior second baseman. "One through nine, we've been getting the job done."
DeStefano, who doubles as a leftfielder and will play at Division II Kutztown, struck out the side in the second. The only damage was Jake Kennedy's solo homer to dead-center, covering about 390 feet, in the fourth.
"He had been struggling a little bit lately," senior centerfielder and Rider recruit Brian Donnelly said. "But I said to a teammate during the game, 'He's back.' He had a good command of all his pitches."
DeStefano, who was looked at in the fifth after being hit in the kneecap, mixed a two-seam fastball, change-up, and curveball. In the seventh, after yielding a leadoff single, he notched a 10-pitch strikeout.
Coatesville (17-9) reached the state tournament for the first time since 2006.
"The kids worked hard, stayed with it all season, and never gave up," longtime Red Raiders coach Hal Ziegler said.
Council Rock South 0500000 - 5100
Coatesville 0001000 - 151
WP: Bret DeStefano. LP: Justin Moore. 2B: CRS–Kane Price, Jeff Miller; 3B: CRS–Zach Fitzgerald. HR: C–Jake Kennedy.
Contact Rick O'Brien
at 610-313-8019, robrien@phillynews.com,
or on Twitter @ozoneinq.
Read his blog, "The O'Zone,"
at www.philly.com/ozone
