Carney throws shutout, LOMA edges Horsham
HORSHAM » With Pat Carney keeping the Horsham lineup quiet, a run in the sixth inning was enough for LOMA to edge the Astros for a spot in the Pendel League winners’ bracket final.
Carney allowed just three hits in pitching a shutout while Tim Lecompte’s two-out RBI single broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth and gave third-seeded LOMA a 1-0 playoff victory over No. 2 Horsham Wednesday night at Hatboro-Horsham.
“All three pitches were working tonight for me,” Carney said. “(Catcher) Pete (Moore) called a great game. We were working in and out, so it kind of kept them off balanced. Fastball, slider and changeup were all working, locating. They’re a good team, we played really great defense and they got me out of some spots which is also great.”
LOMA, Pendel co-champion with Horsham in 2021, advances in the double-elimination tournament to face No. 1 Bucks County Generals, — which defeated No. 5 Upper Moreland 10-0 — 5:45 p.m. Thursday at Council Rock North.
The Astros, meanwhile, have to go through the losers’ bracket to earn a third straight league title, starting with a matchup against Upper Moreland 5:45 p.m. Thursday at Hatboro-Horsham.
“Tough one but we’re confident in moving on,” Horsham manager Alex Sargent said. “We’re not done yet.”
Carney and Astros starting pitcher Connor Bogansky traded zeroes for five frames before the Astros went with Dylan Biddle on the mound at the start of the sixth. Brett Guaglionona led off the inning with a single to right then went to second on Dustin Kology’s sacrifice bunt.
After Biddle struck out the next batter, it looked the game would remain 0-0 when Bob Drozdowski hit a grounder to second but an error extended the top of the inning. With runners on the corners, Lecompte laced a single into center, scoring Guaglionona for what ended up being the night’s lone run.
“We wanted the lefty (Biddle) to face the top of the order,” Sargent said. “And it worked out and he did phenomenal it was just the
error kind of crushed us. And then losing a 1-0 ballgame, to win a 1-0 ballgame everything got to go perfect for you and the other team’s got to falter.”
A wild pitch gave LOMA runners on second and third but Biddle stranded both by getting a strikeout.
In the bottom of the seventh, Conor Smith connected on a one-out single to left before he was forced out at second a Nick Miller fielder’s choice. Sam Junker, running for Miller, stole second but Carney got a groundout to infield’s left side to seal the shutout.
“I felt like I was I control,” Carney said. “I felt good, I wasn’t really tiring out at all. And that one run, once that crossed the plate it was huge lift off my shoulders.”
Carney gave up a trio of singles — two to Drew Ski, who finished 2-for-3 — while allowing just one walk and striking out four for LOMA, which began its postseason Tuesday with a 4-2 win over No. 6 Bucks County Blue Jays.
“If you don’t get up for a playoff game, you’re playing the wrong sport, you shouldn’t be playing anymore,” Carney said. “But yeah, I do feel I kind of take it to another level come playoff time which is also good to have.”
Biddle took the loss, surrendering one run — unearned — on two hits in two innings. He had no walks and struck out two.
Bogansky allowed one hit in pitching five scoreless innings, the righty walking one, hitting one batter and striking out two.
“He’s been our best pitcher all year,” said Sargent of Bogansky, who helped La Salle win Philadelphia Catholic League and PIAA Class 6A titles in 2021. “He’s absolutely phenomenal — Ursinus kid, absolutely wonderful kid on and off the field so he’s been our rock, very clearly was going to be our Game 1 starter. He proved it why tonight.”
Horsham had two runners on in the bottom of the second after a Ski leadoff single to left and a Miller two-out walk but Carney ended the inning with a strikeout.
“Strikeouts are never something I necessarily pitch to,” Carney said. “Keeping the pitch count down is always a plus. And we’re a really good fielding team so letting them get themselves out early is also great, helps keep it going longer.”
In the bottom of the third, Luke Gregory reached on a two-out error then stole second before the next batter flew out to right.
Ski started the Astros’ half of the fourth with a single to center. With one out, a Smith flair could not be tracked down by the outgoing shortstop and dropped into left but Ski was forced out at second on the play. After a fly out to right on the next atbat, Horsham did not have another baserunner until Smith’s one-out single in the seventh.
“Limiting the runners on base is huge,” Carney said. “Kind of take all that momentum from them, don’t give them any opportunity to make it feel like they’re getting runners on base and they’re getting to me, that I’m in control the whole time.”