PHILADELPHIA - Neumann-Goretti improved to 8-4 in Philadelphia Catholic League play by beating Roman Catholic, 15-8, on Wednesday at John Boyce Memorial Field at Henry and Roxborough avenues.
The Saints trailed 8-3 after the first three innings. They tied the game in the sixth inning on a pinch-hit single by senior infielder Joe Mastrobuoni. Senior shortstop Aidan Baur's triple down the right-field line in the top of the seventh inning gave Neumann-Goretti the lead.
The Saints scored seven runs in the seventh inning, which included a three-run home run by senior Joe LaFiora.
Roman Catholic sophomore pitcher Alex Singer started his third inning of relief in the seventh, but he didn't record any outs. Senior infielder Adam Jaep walked, Baur tripled and senior outfielder Colin Eiser singled to start the inning. Senior right-hander Jimmy Ferioli relieved Singer.
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Neumann-Goretti gets eighth Philadelphia Catholic League win with comeback effort against Roman Catholic
LaFiora also had an RBI single in the top of the fourth inning. Two batters later, junior third baseman Billy D'Ambrosia hit a two-run double to drive in the Saints' third and fourth runs of the inning.
Neumann-Goretti junior pitcher Joseph Messina pitched 5 1/3 innings of relief after junior left-hander Gabe Rappa allowed nine hits in 1 2/3 innings to start the game.
Roman Catholic's first three batters all scored. Senior Marquise Wood, who started on the mound for the Cahillites, led off with a triple. Then sophomore outfielder Gaetan Grandelli hit an inside-the-park home run to left field. Senior first baseman John Kelly singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Sean Flanagan.
Wood had three extra-base hits in the first three innings. He hit a double in the second inning to start a stretch of six straight hits for Roman Catholic. Grandelli hit a two-run single, and John and Jason Kelly hit back-to-back doubles after Wood's at-bat.
Neumann-Goretti 15, Roman Catholic 8
Wood's solo home run with two outs in the third inning was the only run Roman scored off Messina.
Both teams have one game remaining in Philadelphia Catholic League play. Roman Catholic will face Conwell-Egan, and Neumann-Goretti will face Father Judge on Monday.