Pa. Boys: New Hope baseball comeback falls short

Brandywine Heights capitalized on three New Hope-Solebury errors to score nine runs in the sixth inning and end the Lions' baseball season with a 12-7 victory yesterday in the PIAA state Class AA tournament quarterfinals.

In a game postponed because of wet weather the two previous days, New Hope (16-6) was tied, 3-3, with the District 3 champions (20-4) before the decisive sixth inning.

New Hope fought back with four runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the comeback fell short.

"They really battled back," New Hope coach Matt Schram said of his 12-player squad that won the District 1 title. "The kids worked so hard. It was a great season.

"With 12 guys on the team, no JV team and no freshman team, we have to make sure they didn't do anything this season other than go to school, go to practice, and go home so they didn't get hurt."

For the Lions, who graduate just three seniors, Tom Fiala went 2 for 4 and drove in three runs, Brad Lampson had two singles and scored twice, and Matt Maiorelli lined a triple.

Brandywine Heights 101 019 0 - 12 12

New Hope-Solebury 200 010 4 - 7 7

WP: Kyle Stoudt. LP: Kyle Davis. 2B: NHS-Kyle Davis. BH-Caleb Erb. 3B: NHS-Matt Maiorelli. BH-Caleb Erb.