SOUTH PHILADELPHIA- In a game in which both La Salle and Roman Catholic were battling for playoff position, it was the La Salle bats that fueled them to a crucial 9-5 win at Ashburn Field.
Coming into the last Catholic League regular season matchup for both teams, Roman (12-7, 8-4 PCL) needed a victory to secure the No. 3 seed, and be able to host a playoff game. La Salle (10-7, 8-4 PCL) came into the contest a half game back of Roman in the standings, and was looking to slide up into the third spot.
“I think it was two teams that really wanted it, and I think when you get that feel in a high school ball game you get emotions and sometimes it goes the wrong way,” La Salle head coach Kyle Werman said. “I think both teams battled that.”
Roman Catholic has a conference at the mound. (Patrick Paul/Philly Sports Digest)
The Explorers discuss their strategy at the mound. (Patrick Paul/Philly Sports Digest)
Both starting pitchers, La Salle’s Zach Moretski and Roman’s Santino Nave, had solid outings. Moretski pitched into the fifth inning, and only allowed two runs before teammate Luke Ratchford came on in relief. Nave pitched into the sixth inning when Aidan Welch came on in relief.
“I was fine, but I did struggle with my command a little bit,” Moretski said. “I just tried to attack the zone and throw strikes.”
“It is what is, and you can only control what you can control,” Nave said. “You have to throw strikes, and after that, it is in everyone else’s hands.”
Heading into the sixth inning, the game was tied at 2-2. But the Explorers really opened the game up after a four-run top half of the inning.
La Salle second baseman Michael Landry opened the inning off by drawing a walk, and was eventually batted in by outfielder Jackson Lake. After back to back hits from Andrew Ciarlone and Ratchford and an error by Roman first baseman Victor Malizia, La Salle took a comfortable lead.
“I was just going out there trying to hit the ball, get it in play and advance the runners,” Landry said. “When I get my walks, I am out there trying to steal bags, and I did that today.”
Shane Flaherty steps into the batter's box. He hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning. (Patrick Paul/Philly Sports Digest)
Roman fought back in the bottom of the sixth inning with a big two-run RBI triple from right fielder Marquise Wood. Wood then scored on a throwing error by Ratchford, which pulled the Cahillites to within one run.
“I think I was seeing the ball pretty well,” Wood said. “I was able to put it in play, and good things were able to happen.”
La Salle came back in top of the seventh inning and tacked on three more runs to give them a 9-5 lead.
“We just came out flat, and did not really show any energy in the sixth inning,” Roman head coach Anthony Valucci said. “We have been a pretty good defensive team all year, but when you commit six errors like we did today you are not going to win.”
The Cahillites finish their season with a non-league matchup against Upper Dublin, already having secured the No. 4 seed for the playoffs. La Salle moved up to third place, and has secured a home playoff game.
“We just have to keep going one day at a time,” Werman said. “I am hoping that we are turning the corner, and playing our best baseball.”
