Pa. Boys: Neumann-Goretti rules in District 12 baseball
Neumann-Goretti used a complete team effort to win the PIAA District 12 Class AAA baseball championship on Thursday. The Catholic League-champion Saints (22-0) used five pitchers, got hits from seven batters, and one run each from six players in posting a 6-1 victory over visiting Public League champ Franklin Towne Charter (5-15).
Neumann-Goretti used a complete team effort to win the PIAA District 12 Class AAA baseball championship on Thursday.
The Catholic League-champion Saints (22-0) used five pitchers, got hits from seven batters, and one run each from six players in posting a 6-1 victory over visiting Public League champ Franklin Towne Charter (5-15).
Neumann-Goretti advances to the state tournament against District 3 runner-up Twin Valley on Monday at a site to be determined.
Joe Kinee started on the mound for the Saints, striking out five batters in two innings before giving way to winning pitcher Joe Jaep, who also worked two innings.
Neumann-Goretti collected 10 hits, including two each by catcher Nick Nardini, third baseman Joey Glennon (RBI), and centerfielder Joey Gorman. Freshman Josh Ockimey knocked in two runs.
District 1 Class AAAA. Council Rock North (19-2) overcame a 4-1 deficit late in the game and handed visiting rival Council Rock South a 7-5 loss in the District 1 third-place game.
South (14-5) got two RBIs from Zach Fitzgerald to take the lead in the fifth inning, but North rallied with three runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings.
The Indians, who beat South by 2-1 and 13-4 in a pair of regular-season meetings, tied the game on Dan Denton's sixth home run of the season, a three-run shot to center field in the fifth.
Denton finished with three RBIs, Ryan Henritzy had two of North's seven hits, and Darren Lauer got the pitching win with 11/3 innings of relief.
Council Rock North will face District 11 champ Nazareth on Monday in the state tournament, and the Golden Hawks will play the winner of Friday's District 12 final between Frankford and Monsignor Bonner.
In the battle for the fifth and final seed from District 1, Methacton beat West Chester East, 7-3, at Devon Prep.
Districts 1, 12 Class AA. Springfield (Montco) punched its ticket to the state tournament with an 11-1 success against Esperanza at South Philadelphia's Ashburn Field.
The Spartans (15-6) won the Sub-Region for Districts 1 and 12 behind the six-strikeout, one-hit pitching of Jake Yannessa, who allowed only a triple by Jovanny Zavala of Esperanza (7-11).
Max Vido led Springfield with two singles, a triple, two RBIs, and two runs scored, while Adam McHinty and Yannessa each drove in two runs.
Springfield will face District 3 runner-up York Catholic on Monday.