PHILADELPHIA CATHOLIC LEAGUE –
Another baseball plaque will adorn the walls of Neumann-Goretti.
For the second straight season and sixth in 10 years, the Saints captured the Catholic League championship. At Immaculata University on May 27, senior pitcher Phil Sanborn tossed a complete game to lift Neumann-Goretti to a 6-4 victory over Archbishop Wood.
“We knew after the beginning of the season that we would have a lot of work to do in order to make it back to the top, which was our goal,” said senior shortstop Jared Healey. “We stuck together and just worked as hard as we could every day. It honestly started off the field. The bond we created between the guys was so strong that, no matter what, the next guy would have your back.”
The Saints, who a few days later defeated MaST Charter, 8-4, in the city championship and became one of five Catholic League teams currently participating in the PIAA state playoffs, lost their first two league games, perhaps giving opponents the perception that N-G was an also-ran.
Not exactly.
N-G ultimately tied St. Joseph’s Prep and Archbishop Carroll for first place during the regular season. The Saints then edged Father Judge, 3-2, in a nine-inning quarterfinal thriller, and then blanked Archbishop Ryan, 4-0, in the semis.
“We dropped those games,” Healey said. “After that, we went to a team dinner and from there, we started rolling.”
Whatever nutrients were in that team dinner should be classified as lethal.
“We knew after the beginning of the season that we would have a lot of work to do in order to make it back to the top, which was our goal,” said Healey. “We stuck together and just worked as hard as we could every day.
RJ McGettigan scores what proves to be the winning run in the bottom of the third inning
In a pivotal sixth inning, Phil Sanborn strikes out Mick Pristas after an epic at bat in the sixth inning
“It honestly started off the field. The bond we created between the guys was so strong that, no matter what, the next guy would have your back.”
In the championship, both teams supplied examples of being championship caliber.
Wood sent seven players to the plate in the top of the first inning and, highlighted by a two-run double by sophomore Antonio Rosselli, scored three runs. Undaunted, Neumann-Goretti countered with a three spot of its own, senior Brian Reynolds’ two-run single providing a 3-3 tie.
Wood took a 4-3 lead in the third, but the Saints did likewise in their half, taking full advantage of control issues (three walks and three wild pitches) to score two runs.
The Saints added an insurance run in the fourth, and N-G senior left-handed pitcher Phil Sanborn held the pesky Vikings scoreless the rest of the way. That necessitated an incredible 12-pitch at bat by Wood senior Mick Pristas with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth. Although Pristas struck out to end the inning, he gained respect from his counterpart.
“It was the toughest batter I pitched against all game,” said Sanborn. “He kept fighting and fouled off every pitch even when I mixed my change-up in with it. Then I finally caught him with a low inside fastball.”
The game’s scariest moment occurred in the bottom of the third. Wood junior catcher John Gifford caught an errant pitch below the facemask. After staying down and receiving aid for several minutes, Gifford rose to his feet to applause, but then quickly collapsed.
An ambulance was summoned, and Gifford was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Wood officials later said that Gifford was fine. He is playing in the state playoffs.
But it was scary.
“After (Gifford) got hurt, we knew that they were going to come out and try to finish off the game for him, so we had to match or even double their intensity,” said Healey. “It was an awful thing that he was hurt. At the end of the day it is baseball and we had to play.”
N-G first baseman RJ McGettigan was also concerned.
“Just pure panic,” he said. “It was chilling to see something go that wrong to the kid.”
McGettigan had the honor of catching the final out in foul ground.
“I was thrilled,” said McGettigan. “I was hoping the ball would come in my direction, and as soon as the ball was hit in my vicinity, my main objective was just to catch it and not let my emotions get the best of me and make a mistake. Be calm and just catch the ball.”
Healey wasn’t surprised that Wood started so strong.
2017 PCL Baseball Championship
“We knew that it was going to be a tough game from the start,” he said. “It almost felt like a punch in the mouth, but we just had to fight back. We are a strong-willed team who won't stop fighting, so I knew we were going to put it together somehow.”
Healey was named the Catholic League’s best defensive player.
“Honestly, me and my dad would go to the field at Bridesburg Rec, and he would hit a couple buckets full,” said Healey. “That field was very bad, so when I got to play on the nice fields, it was a lot easier. Plus, I've been working out with Zoom (head coach Mike Zolk) for a little while now, and he's been showing me every in and out to the infield.”
It worked.
(John Knebels can be reached at jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)
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