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H.S. BASEBALL: Marian Catholic’s PIAA state playoff run cut short by Southern Columbia

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — The magic ride came to an end for Marian Catholic in the PIAA Class AA state quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon.

Marian Catholic (20-5) served up five runs to Southern Columbia (17-4) in the first two innings of a 5-3 loss to end the miraculous playoff run.

“They’re one of the top teams in the state and we just happened to run into two of them in the last three games,” Marian Catholic coach John Petrilyak said. “I’ll remember these kids and we did a really good job of blending the young guys with the older guys.”

Southern Columbia advances to the PIAA Class AA semifinals next Monday, June 8 to take on the winner of the Halifax vs Faith Christian Academy matchup.

Ayden Hockenbroch shot an RBI single to third base to put the Tigers ahead 3-0 in the first inning. Andrew Novak then gave the home team a 5-0 lead with an RBI single to second base in the second inning.

“We take one game at a time, we’ll go celebrate this win and get back to work tomorrow,” Southern Columbia coach Mike Myers said. “It was nice to get runs and sometimes they come early and for us to come out to start the game like that was huge.”

Southern Columbia didn’t have an answer at the plate the rest of the day as Levi Everitt pitched a complete game, allowing just three runs in the fourth inning and striking out six Colts.

Kole Myers had two hits and drove in a team-high two runs to lead the Tigers lineup while Hockenbroch also chipped in with a pair of hits.

“It’s been a goal of ours the whole season, we knew we could do this and now it’s becoming reality,” Kole Myers said. “We owe it to all these kids and we’re always working hard.”

Everitt induced a pop out and flyout to start the game before Rocco Griguoli walked and was thrown out attempting to steal second base.

The Tigers plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning as the first two batters reached base before Myers singled on a groundball to shortstop to score Brayden Andrews for the 1-0 lead.

“Me and Brayden are always working together and we get in at least 100 swings a day, we’re always swinging hard and we try to do our best and be the 3-4 we need in the lineup,” Kole Myers said.

Andrew Yost stepped up one batter later with an RBI groundball single into right field to score Caden Hopper for the 2-0 lead. Hockenbroch then singled on a groundball to third base to score Myers for the 3-0 lead.

Everitt struck out two Colts in the top of the second inning before the Tigers brought home two more runs in the bottom of the second.

Myers lifted an RBI double to right field which scored Andrews for the 4-0 advantage.

“It let us relax having the early lead after the first inning and we got our composure back,” Myers said.

Novak came through three batters later with an RBI groundball single to second base to score Myers for the 5-0 lead.

Cole Jordan was called on to pitch in relief for the Colts in the second inning as Grier worked just 1.2 innings, allowing five runs on five hits. Jordan shut down the Tigers through 4.1 innings, allowing five hits and striking out three.

“We went to Cole Jordan and he came in and threw fantastic, stopped the bleeding,” Petrilyak said. “He didn’t give up any more runs and for him to come in and do what he did and not having much time on the mound the last couple of weeks, he did really well.”

Marian Catholic struck for the only time with three runs in the top of the fourth, beginning with a Jordan RBI groundball fielders choice to second base for the 5-1 deficit.

Brayden Grant came up with a two-run double to left field to score Noah Bauder and Jordan for the 5-3 difference.

“He’s the unsung hero and he doesn’t get enough credit,” Petrilyak said of Grant’s at bats. “Defensively he’s been great and now he might be our RBI leader at the plate in the seven hole.”

Jordan retired Southern Columbia in order in the fourth and fifth innings. The Colts then turned a double play when Hopper grounded out to third base and Gavin Richards was caught in a rundown between third base and home plate. Jordan then struck out the last out of the sixth inning.

Everitt recorded a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning, striking out the last two batters he faced, to earn the 5-3 win.

Danny Lemus led Marian Catholic’s lineup with three hits while Griguoli and Grant each had two hits. Grant and Griguoli also went for doubles for the Colts extra-base hits.

Marian Catholic 3 — Quinn-Gutsie CF 4 0 0 0, Bednarek SS 3 0 0 0, Griguoli DH 2 1 2 0, Bauder 3B 2 1 0 0, Lemus RF 3 0 3 0, Jordan 1B 3 1 0 1, Grant 2B 3 0 2 2, Grier P 2 0 0 0, Reaman 1 0 0 0, Defrancisco LF 2 0 0 0. 25 3 7 3.

Southern Columbia 5 — Andrews CF 2 2 2 0, Hopper SS 4 1 1 0, Myers 3B 3 2 2 2, Yost 1B 3 0 1 1, Hockenbroch LF 3 0 2 1, Novak 2B 3 0 1 0, Makowski DH 3 0 0 0, Zachman RF 3 0 0 0, Richards C 3 0 1 0. 27 5 10 5.

MAR (20-5);0;0;0;3;0;0;0;—0

SC (17-4);3;2;0;0;0;0;x;—5

Marian Catholic

IP H R ER BB K

Grier 1.2 5 5 5 3 2

Jordan 4.1 5 0 0 1 3

Southern Columbia

Everitt 7 7 3 3 4 6

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