Adryan powers Holy Cross past Delran

John Adryan doesn't get a hit in every key situation for Holy Cross.

It only seems that way to coach Steve Paolini and the rest of the Lancers.

"I found myself surprised when he didn't get a hit in the first inning," Paolini said of Adryan's sharp grounder that Delran's middle infield turned into a double play. "That's unfair to John. But he's come through for us so many times."

Adryan came to the plate with runners on base two more times on Thursday. He cracked a two-run home run in the fifth inning and a grand slam in the sixth, powering Holy Cross to a 10-5 victory in a Burlco Patriot baseball battle of crosstown rivals.

"My teammates did all the work," said Adryan, who lives in Delran. "I just hit the ball. They were the ones who got on base."

Adryan, who walked in the third, was 2 for 3 with three runs scored and six RBIs. The senior third baseman, who has signed with Ohio University, has five homers and leads South Jersey with 16 extra-base hits.

"We lean on him," Paolini said. "As he goes, we go. When he's hitting, the rest of them just relax."

The Lancers (14-2) rapped 11 hits and strengthened their case for an at-large bid to the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic.

Bordentown likely will join Burlington Township as the Burlington County League teams that will receive automatic bids to the 39th annual Diamond Classic. But Holy Cross has earned at-large consideration, especially after bouncing back from a tough loss to Cherokee with three consecutive victories.

The 16-team field will be announced Sunday night.

"That was a gut-check for us," Paolini said of an 11-1 loss to Cherokee last Friday. "Were we going to fight back? These kids have fought back."

Winning pitcher Jon Mackie went the distance for Holy Cross. The junior righthander struck out 10 and allowed just four hits, although two of them were home runs.

Justin McFadden hit a three-run homer and Dan George hit a two-run homer for Delran (9-7), which had won seven of eight.

"We battled them," Delran coach Rich Bender said. "We had some chances to put more pressure on them, and we didn't do it. But you have to tip your hat to the third baseman [Adryan]. He was the difference."

George's home run gave Delran a 4-3 lead in the fifth. But in the bottom of the inning, Adryan drove a 2-2 fastball over the center-field fence, just to the right of the scoreboard and above the 372-foot sign.

"I choked up and was just trying to put the ball in play," Adryan said.

In the sixth, Holy Cross loaded the bases on singles by Jim Hoff (2 for 4) and Mike Wisely (2 for 4) and a walk to Matt Zizzamia (1 for 3, two runs). Adryan drove an 0-1 curveball over the left-centerfield fence.

"I was just trying to get in one run," Adryan said. "My teammates came through all game. They set me up."

Delran   0030200 - 542

Holy Cross   202024x - 10113

WP: Jon Mackie. LP: Zach Youngberg. 2B: HC-Jon Mackie, Jim Hoff. HR: D-Justin McFadden, Dan George; HC-John Adryan 2.