Sprague’s nervous wait turns into an O’Hara walk-off win
Luke Sprague’s heart might have skipped a few beats Monday as he watched his fly ball descend.
Sprague had to make sure that Father Judge left fielder Billy Kelly didn’t rob him of a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Kelly leaped and appeared to make an outstanding catch at the fence, but the ball popped out of his glove and over the fence. Sprague rounded the bases, and the Lions earned a thrilling 4-3 Catholic League win.
With the victory, the Lions remain in second place in the Catholic League, a meeting with first-place La Salle set for Wednesday.
Sprague also doubled and Brandon Schumm collected two hits and two RBIs for O’Hara (12-4, 9-2). Bryan Pazulski entered in relief in the bottom of the sixth inning to pitch the Lions out of danger.
In other Catholic League games: ARCHBISHOP CARROLL 7, CONWELL-EGAN 6 » Trent Pierce’s line drive single scored Chris Grill in the bottom of the seventh, lifting the Patriots (11-3, 7-2) to a walk-off win. Jake Kelchner and Grill started the frame with back-to-back doubles.
Max Hitman and Grill each had two hits and two RBIs. Sean Lawley went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Tyler Kehoe threw four innings of dominant relief, striking out four along the way, to get the win. BONNER & PRENDERGAST 4, ARCHBISHOP RYAN 2 » The Friars (9-6) grabbed the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning a sacrifice fly by Matt Shepherd. Nate Furman knocked in the tying run with a single.
Matt Maselli pitched 4.1 innings of relief with five Ks to earn the win. Brian Dunphy recorded the save.
John DeMucci, Matt Headley and Jason Nihill had two hits apiece for the Friars, who have won five in a row and seven of their last eight.
In the Central League: MARPLE NEWTOWN 2, HARRITON 0 » Luke Zimmerman threw a completegame shutout as the Tigers clinched the Central League title outright with two games to spare. Sean Donnell scored Marple’s first run after an Alden Mathes single, and Jack Molinaro, a pinch-runner after Zimmerman doubled, scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. UPPER DARBY 3, LOWER MERION 1 » Nolan Ward threw 5.2 solid innings for the win, and Justin Rimel notched the four-out save for the Royals. Ward helped his cause with two hits and two RBIs, while Chris Anderson went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Max Peters contributed an RBI double. STRATH HAVEN 19, PENNCREST 6 » All-Delco Anthony Viggiano was 3-for-5 with a double and six ribbies for the Panthers, who plated nine runs in the fifth inning. Justin Malley and Chase Davis each drove in three runs.
Matt Arbogast smacked a triple, and Jeffrey Lunger went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for Penncrest. GARNET VALLEY 7, RIDLEY 1 » Dom Picone came one out shy of pitching a three-hit complete game. He struck out six.
Nate Weisendanger and Cole Palis each had two singles for the Jaguars. Colin Robinson was 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Ben Gray chipped in with two RBIs. CONESTOGA 8, HAVERFORD 2 » Andrew Stuck tripled and scored a run for the Fords.
In the Bicentennial League: DELCO CHRISTIAN 11, PHILMONT CHRISTIAN 4 » Clay Corcimiglia hurled five strong innings with eight strikeouts for the win. He was supported offensively by Nathaniel Tutton, who drilled a two-run double and reached base four times. Tyler Rossini added two hits, two RBIs and three runs scored for the Knights (8-6, 6-6).