S. Jersey Boys | Gloucester Catholic nips St. Augustine

Bill Donovan's sixth-inning home run started a comeback that carried

Gloucester Catholic

to a 5-4 victory over

St. Augustine

in the first round of the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic yesterday at Maple Shade.

St. Augustine used the long ball to take a 4-0 lead as Juan Mejia hit a bases-empty home run in the fourth inning and a two-run homer in the sixth, and Alex Colon also homered.

After Donovan closed the gap to 4-3, the Rams ended the game in the bottom of the seventh when Pete LaRocco lined a bases-loaded single, putting Gloucester Catholic in next weekend's quarterfinals.

Also at Maple Shade, West Deptford eliminated Northern Burlington, 7-3. David Giuliani and winning pitcher Alex Dalsey each homered in the seventh inning to wrap up the win.

In other first-round action, Dan Grovatt guided Seneca past Sacred Heart, 9-7, at Deptford. Grovatt tripled, drove in three runs, scored three times and also handled the pitching for the Golden Eagles, while Dan Williams chipped in with two doubles and three runs scored.

At Overbrook, Camden Catholic bunched four of its seven hits in a four-run fourth inning that highlighted a 5-4 win over visiting Egg Harbor Township. Jim Tarabocchia and Henry Chou singled in Irish runs, and Matt Moceri pitched four innings for the win.

Holy Cross spoiled Winslow Township's Diamond debut, 7-3, as pitcher Jared Turner started the contest with a two-run double in the first inning. Dan Dash went 3 for 4 and scored twice, and Bill Guarino added two hits and two runs scored.

Friends Schools. Evan Plys hit for the cycle and Andrew Bernard pitched a solid six innings to get Moorestown Friends into Wednesday's league playoffs with a 7-2 win at Abington Friends. Plys, who had three RBIs and scored twice, finished the cycle with a seventh-inning homer, and Steve Haines and Nick Harbist added three apiece.

Lee Ware Tournament. In its first appearance in the tournament at Woodstown, Middle Township went home with the trophy following an 8-3 win over Clearview in the final.

Bill Hodgdon had three RBIs, including a two-run homer, and second baseman Aidan Nicholas posted nine putouts. In a 7-1 semifinal win over Woodstown, the Panthers got John Hopkin's sixth homer of the season, and three hits by Matt Mauger.

Glassboro won the consolation game, 6-5, over Woodstown by scoring three runs with one out in the bottom of the seventh, including Ricky Tunstall's two-run single with the bases loaded, and Kyle Jones' single that scored pinch-runner John Sparacio with the help of a good hook slide.

Burlington County. Max Himmelstein singled and homered as part of Moorestown's 10-hit offense in a 9-0 shutout of visiting Bordentown.

Winning pitcher Corey Mingin helped himself by slapping three hits as Riverside scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning and edged host Trenton Catholic, 10-9. Leadoff hitter Micah Linz drove in two runs and scored two more.

Nonleague. Rex Workman slugged his sixth home run of the season, and Delran pitchers Dave Roesner and Zak Pol combined to stop visiting Schalick on four hits, 12-2.

Matt Chiavoroli faced 17 batters in pitching Gloucester County Tech's 17-0 five-inning no-hitter at Cape May Tech. Chiavoroli fanned seven, and Mike Lesyk went 3 for 4 with three RBIs.