Morris fans 14 as Springfield opens with win

Jared Morris and Brandon DiChiacchio made sure Springfield got off to a good start in the opening round of the Main Line Senior American Legion playoffs Wednesday.

Morris went the route and DiChiacchio delivered the big early hit that carried third-seeded Springfield to a 7-1 triumph over sixth-seeded Narberth.

Springfield’s reward is a date Thursday night with secondseeded Wayne at Odorisio Park (5:30).

Although he did walk seven and allow three hits, Morris whiffed 14 to keep the Narberth offense in check. The only run he allowed came in the third inning. DiChiacchio, meanwhile, drilled a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the first inning to put Springfield ahead to stay.

David Bingamen sealed the win with a two-run single in the sixth inning. Lane Kelly added two hits and two runs scored, while Luke Sprague chipped in with a pair of safeties and one run scored.

Narberth is off until Thursday when it gets the loser of the game between top-seeded Nether Providence and fifthseeded Broomall-Newtown.

In the other playoff opener: BROOMALL-NEWTOWN 14, ASTON-MEDIA 1 » Vince Greco and Steve Morrison combined to fan 10 batters and send BroomallNewtown into Thursday’s second round against top-seeded Nether Providence at Strath Haven Middle School.

Greco pitched the first four innings and whiffed eight. Morrison followed with three scoreless frames that included four strikeouts and no hits. Luke Cantwell and Luke Zimmerman provided the big bats. Cantwell was 3-for-5 with five RBIs and three runs scored. Zimmerman also went 3-for-5, knocked in two runs and scored twice. Scott Hahn pitched in with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Aston-Media falls into the losers bracket where it will take on the loser of the game between Springfield and Wayne Thursday night.

In the District 15s Tournament: 21ST WARD 10, BROOMALL-NEWTOWN 5 » 21st Ward scored six runs in the second inning and four more in the seventh to make the “if” game necessary. The teams will meet again at Thomas Field Thursday (5:30) to decide the title.

Cole Quigley led the winners with three hits and three RBIs. Adam Rocks, Chris Marino 1 Babe Ruth and Joe DeBella added two hits each. Joe Taylor’s pinch-hit RBI single in the seventh inning sealed the victory.

In the Delco League: WAYNE 2, NARBERTH 1 » Jim Vankoski drew a bases-loaded walk in the third inning to drive in the winning run, and pitchers Tom Cockill, Jimmer Kennedy and Billy Greenfield took care of the rest to put Wayne back into sole possession of first place.

Cockill went four innings and allowed three hits to get the win. Kennedy pitched a scoreless fifth and Greenfield allowed one hit and struck out four in two innings to earn the save. Jeff Manto and Dan Williams paced the offense with two hits each.

Toby MacCart tossed in a losing effort Mudcats. CHESTER 4, MIDDLETOWN 3 » Tom Donahue’s infield single with two outs in the seventh inning chased home Tristan Kevitch with the winning run. Kevitch went 3-for-4 and ripped an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3.

Pitcher Glen Stanners came out of the bullpen to keep Chester within striking distance. With the Lions up, 3-1, Stanners a fourhitter for the pitched out of a basesloaded, no-out jam in the top of the fifth inning to keep it a two-run game. He did not allow a hit in three innings, walked two and fanned three. Two of those strikeouts came in the fifth inning. ASTON VALLEY 3, SPRINGFIELD 2 » Matt Domain won it with a walk-off homer in the seventh inning. Steve Maloney and Julian Kurych paced the offense with two hits each.

Tyler Campbell pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to get the win. Zach Rumford scattered four hits over six innings for the Knights. UPPER DARBY 6, MARPLE NEWTOWN 2 » Tyler O’Shea’s gametying two-run homer in the third inning was the big blow the Blue Sox needed. He finished 2-for-3. Nick O’Shea added two hits and two runs scored, while Trevor Robinson chipped in with a two-run double.

Grant Kernaghan whiffed seven and allowed five hits in seven innings to get the win.

In the Delco MSBL: TOP LUMBER EXPOS 10, DELCO TIGERS 2 » Tony Meccariello whiffed five to get the win. Carlos Law and Frank Gonzalez had two hits and two RBIs apiece. Dave Kowalski drove in two runs.

In Senior EDCO action: ASTON VALLEY 11, GARNET VALLEY4» Ryan Duplicki allowed two hits and struck out 11 to get the win. Christian Bateman (3for-5) and Richie June (2-for-4) paced the offense.

Softball

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John Schaffer’s RBI double in the fifth inning was the difference as Stanley Kup topped Aldan A.C, 2-1, in the Penn-Del Over-50 League.

In other league action: BROTHERS 7, UNTOUCHABLES 2 » Bobby Johnson (three RBIs), Connie Boon, Eugene Snipes and John Shemeluk (one RBI each) drove in all the runs for the Brothers. Hank Armstrong added a 3-for-3 effort to make a winner of Michael Henderson.

In the Delco Christian League: UTC UNION 22, DVR 18 » Anthony Lusi, Joe Duffy and Mike Hooven all went deep for the winners. Hooven finished with three RBIs to help UTC clinch first place.

Chris Ness (4-for-4, two doubles, four RBIs, three runs scored) and Jim Bickley (4-for4, double, two RBIs) also were major contributors.