Calvert Hall rolls past No. 1 Curley in MIAA A Conference playoffs
Inning after inning in Monday’s playoff game, the order from the No. 4 Calvert Hall dugout was to keep putting up crooked numbers at No. 1 Archbishop Curley.
The Cardinals’ offense made sure to oblige. And with senior left-hander Patrick Genco doing his part on the mound, Calvert Hall claimed a stunningly comfortable 13-1 win over the Friars in a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoff contest.
Genco pitched a complete game, allowing one run on five hits with eight strikeouts. The Cardinals pounded 13 hits with everybody in the order making a contribution.
Opening the playoffs with a 5-0 win over Mount Saint Joseph on Friday, the fifth-seeded Cardinals (17-11) remain in the winner’s bracket and will next take on No. 2 Archbishop Spalding — a 7-4 winner over No. 11 John Carroll — Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Top-seeded Curley looked to rebound at home Tuesday against Gilman, a game that ended too late for this edition.
With the Cardinals scoring three runs in the top of the first inning and padding the lead with runs in every frame but the fourth, coach Brooks Kern couldn’t have asked for anything more as his team moves one step closer to a league crown.
“The last time we played them (a 2-1 loss on May 5), only three guys had hits. So we’ve been working hard on everyone contributing, and that happened today. And when that happens against their No. 1 [Dillon Michaloski], I think we’re serving notice,” he said. “But we still have work to do and we’re not satisfied with where we are. I think we’re going to be competitive, continue to work hard and we’ll see what happens.”
All three of the Cardinals’ first-inning runs came with two outs as EJ Hankerson lined a two-run double to right and scored on Mike Copenspire’s single.
Genco allowed three hits and the Friars’ lone run in the bottom of the first and then surrendered just two hits the rest of the way. In the fifth, he struck out the side and then had plenty left in a 1-2-3 seventh to close out the win.
With early-season injuries plaguing the Cardinals’ pitching staff, Genco has been the team’s most reliable starter.
On Monday, he continually challenged the Friars, consistently getting ahead in the count with his slider proving most effective. He was appreciative of the early run support and strong defense the Cardinals had throughout.
“I struggled in the beginning, but once I locked in it was pretty good. Something just clicked,” he said. “I figured I got to get in the zone, and once I did that I just felt different. The game moved a little faster. The guys behind me were making the plays and we kept hitting so that all made it easy to go right at people.”
Jake Butler singled and scored in the first inning and added a three-run home run in the seventh to highlight the Cardinals’ attack. Connor Keys finished with a double and walked three times with two runs scored.
Kaden Barmer had a double, single, walk, stolen base, scored a run and drove in another.
The Friars, who won their last three regular-season games to earn the top seed with a 10-4 league mark, will now look to rebound after their first blowout loss of the season.
On Monday, they used five pitchers and standout third baseman Jon Petryszak left the game with a knee injury
“We were bound to have a stinker at some point and it happened in every facet of the game,” Curley coach Joe Gaeta said.