Casey propels Bishop Eustace to win

Kevin Casey forgot about the first inning.

So did the Bishop Eustace baseball team.

Casey settled down to pitch a complete game and the Crusaders rallied from an early deficit for a 12-5 victory over Gloucester Catholic yesterday in the quarterfinals of the 36th annual Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic at Deptford.

"He gets stronger as the game goes along," Bishop Eustace coach Sam Tropiano said of Casey. "He's such a bulldog."

Greg Brodzinski and Chris Bzozowski each hit a pair of doubles, and No. 9 hitter Jim Coyle was 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs for Bishop Eustace (15-5), which is ranked No. 1 in South Jersey by The Inquirer.

Bishop Eustace will play Cherokee, an 11-10 winner over Williamstown, in the semifinals today at 12:30 p.m. at Deptford. The winner will advance to the championship game against the winner of the Sacred Heart-Haddon Township game. The title game is set for 4:30 p.m. today at Campbell's Field.

George Spingler hit a three-run home run, and Nick Core drove in a pair of runs for No. 3 Gloucester Catholic (16-6).

"We had too many walks, and we didn't do a good job of battling back," Gloucester Catholic coach Dennis Barth said.

Casey allowed Spingler's three-run homer in the first as Gloucester Catholic took a 3-2 lead. But the senior righthander gave up just four hits the rest of the way and recorded three of his five strikeouts in the last two innings.

"I was using my fastball a lot to get ahead," Casey said.

Bishop Eustace 271 011 0 - 12 13 0

Gloucester Cath. 301 010 0 - 5 6 1

WP: Kevin Casey. LP: Dave Larsen.

2B: Greg Brodzinski 2, Chris Bzozowski 2, Kenny Fetchko, Steve Ferraro, Jim Coyle, BE; Mike Gartland, Steve Bruno, Nick Core, GC.

HR: George Spingler, GC.