For the first time since 2010, No. 8 seed Bonner-Prendergast will be advancing to the Catholic League Semifinals after a 5-3 upset victory against No. 1 Father Judge, who finished the season with a league-best 16-5 record.
Bonner led 3-0 until lightning struck which forced the game to go into a rain delay. After the storm passed roughly 40 minutes later, Judge's bats woke up as they scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to lock the game up at 3-3 after couple of RBI singles.
The game went scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings, sending the game to extra innings. The Bonner bats came back alive after putting the lead-off man on base in the eighth inning after a single. Bonner then proceeded to play small ball by bunting the runner over to second. The next batter hit a groundball to the second baseman, who made a throwing error allowing the Friars to re-take the lead. Bonner then added one more run after a base hit by Ryan George to make it 5-3.
Evan Raiburn returned to the mound for Bonner with a two run cushion, trying to advance his team to the semi-finals. Raiburn managed a 1-2-3 inning to keep his teams hopes alive in the championship chase.
"It's a big win, nice to be in the semi-finals,” Raiburn said. “It's the first time for our school since 2010. It's big.”
Coach Joe DeBarberie was beyond proud of his team after the game, notching the upset on Father Judge's home turf.
"It's huge for the team,” DeBarberie said. “We struggled at the end of the season. We knew this was going to be a really tough game against the number one seed. I think the fact that we were lucky enough to beat them in the first game kind of helped us a bit. I think we had a little bit of confidence coming in. Scoring the first run helped after they came and tied it up. I think our kids buckled down, didn't quit, they didn't give up, they didn't give an inch. The second run was the big run, hit by Ryan George to make it 5-3. That's how you win games, you have to be lucky sometimes.”
Raiburn was optimistic his team can have continued success while being underdogs.
"We have two more upsets left in us," Raiburn said with a smile after the game while icing his arm.
After a three run rally by Father Judge in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Friars held the Crusaders scoreless for the next three innings. (Chris Stewart/Philly Sports Digest)