Rich redux: UDHL nabs Babe Ruth 13’s state crown

Kirby Rich is getting used to this whole game-winning hit thing, and the reward is a state championship.

Rich’s walk-off single scored Danny Sullivan with the winning run as UDHL topped West End, 9-8, in eight innings to win the Babe Ruth 13s state title.

It’s UDHL’s first state crown since 2004 and advances them to the MidAtlantic Regional vs. Maryland starting Tuesday. Rich had a game-winning hit Wednesday night in the semifinals.

The championship game finished in wild fashion, UDHL surrendering three runs in the top of the eighth, then rallying to score four in the bottom half. Sullivan surrendered those runs on the mound in relief of starter Paul Morgan. But Sullivan atoned with an RBI single in the eighth.

Sean Webb added in the game. In the Delco League: Marple Newtown got a welcomed if surprising boost in its quest for the sixth and final playoff spot.

Thanks to two hits and an RBI single a earlier two-run triple from Liam Bendo, Marple topped Wayne, 10-7, to stay within striking distance of the sixth spot.

Marple Newtown sits seventh with 35 points, two points behind Middletown (37 points), which also won Thursday in its season finale. Marple Newtown has two games remaining, and a victory over last-place Chester Saturday or first-placed Narberth Sunday would vault them into sixth.

Bob Harper homered for Marple, while Seth Bower added three hits in support of winning pitcher Danny Kelleher.

Sean Mohollen homer for Wayne. MIDDLETOWN 5, UPPER DARBY 3 » Andrew Abrahams’ go-ahead single in the fifth ensured that Middletown did its bit to keep its playoff candidacy alive.

Jim Quinn tied the game with a solo homer, and Matt Briner’s RBI triple plated Abrahams for some welcomed insurance for pitchers Tim O’Keefe and Josh Schneider, who joined forces on the mound. CONCORD 3, SPRINGFIELD 0 » Bill scattered three hits over clubbed a three-run Buckwalter seven shutout innings for the Canes.

John Convery and Bryan Kirk supplied two hits each, and Andrew Belfiglio scored and drove in a run for Concord. NARBERTH 11, CHESTER 3 » Matt DeBarberie, Brian Meagher, John Banes and Tim Dougherty each provided two hits and two RBIs as the Mudcats moved a step closer to clinching the No. 1 overall seed, three points clear of Aston Valley, which has a game in hand.

Tommy Toal, Kevin McGowan and Mike White supplied two hits each in support of winning pitcher Chris Goggin.

Softball

Goshen Beverage got its bats bubbling quickly in the Brandywine Valley Senior Softball Gold Division final.

Jose Castro, Gary Zimmerman, Ed Turner and Mike Szczerba pounded three hits apiece as Goshen Beverage topped United Sports, 18-4, in Game 1 of the best-of-3 finals. Szczerba kept the United bats at bay to get the win. In Suburban Women’s Slow Pitch: Brooke Lachette went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored as Murray’s booked a place in the B Division semifinals with a 16-3 thrashing of Murray’s.

Mary Cotton finished a homer shy of the cycle with three runs scored, and KellyAnne Murtha Cullen was stellar on the mound for Murray’s.

Boys Basketball

For Michael Benincasa and Benny’s Barbershop, Thursday was an A-plus night.

Benincasa scored 15 points as the Barbershop trimmed Oliver Plumbing, 4333, in the Senior Division of the Springfield/West Laurel Hill Summer League.

Nick Bozzetto welded together 11 points for Oliver.

In the Junior Division: MCKEAN ALL-STATE 19, A&A SIGNS 12 » Francis Berry squeezed eight points out of the effort for McKean, while Tyler Mayer accounted for half of the A&A’s points.

In the Intermediate Division: EDGMONT INSURANCE 33, FALCONE & TRUMAN 22 » Ryan Johnston paced Edgmont with 11 points, while Logan Darby poured in eight for Falcone.