WILMINGTON – Through five innings on June 4, Salesianum’s baseball team had managed just three hits and had sent only two batters above the minimum to the plate. Indian River, meanwhile, had loaded the bases three times in the first four innings but managed a single unearned run. The Sals pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the score, then walked it off in the eighth in a 2-1 win in the second round of the DIAA tournament.
The seventh-seeded Sals had the first round off, while Indian River, seeded 10th, defeated Smyrna to advance. The Indians scored in the first against Salesianum and would have won going away had it not been for the Sals’ defense.
The Indians’ leadoff hitter, Kayden Vaught, reached on an error, and Ricky Wiggins singled. The next two batters, Dylan Grise and Ty Weber, both walked, bringing Vaught home. IR had the bases loaded still with no outs. Sals pitcher Joe Rodia (Ss. Peter and Paul Parish, West Chester, Pa.) got the first out on a strikeout, and his defense made its first big play on the next batter. Third baseman Chase Holston fielded a sharp grounder and threw Wiggins out at home. Another strikeout ended the inning.
Weber retired the Sals in order in the first, and IR went to work on offense in the second. Indian River loaded the bases again, this time with two outs, but Rodia got the final out on a popup to second baseman Brooks O’Hanlon.
O’Hanlon doubled in the bottom of the second with two outs, but Weber got the last out. Indian River put two runners on with one out in the third, but Rodia fielded a ground ball back at him and started a double play to end the inning.
The Sals played more defense in the fourth. The first two Indians reached, but shortstop C.J. Moxley did not have to move when the next batter smashed a line drive right at him, and he caught the runner off second for another double play. That may have saved a run since Grise followed with a single, but a popup ended the threat.
Tom McSorley came on in relief for the Sals in the fifth, and he got them through the sixth inning with little trouble, including a third double play in the fifth. The Sals, however, still had not figured Weber out. They finally got on the board in their half of the sixth.
Hacim Martin walked to open the sixth, and he went to third on an errant pickoff throw. Jack Bujnowski was hit by a pitch, and Moxley tied the game with a single to right field. Now it was Salesianum with two on an nobody out, but Weber retired the next three batters.
Indian River had a golden opportunity to re-take the lead in the seventh, but Salesianum’s defense continued its great day even though the first batter reached on an error. A walk and a sacrifice bunt that turned into a single loaded the bases with no outs. McSorley got the first out on a popup into foul territory. The next batter grounded to first. Martin fielded the ball and stepped on the bag for the second out, then fired to catcher Landon Johnston, whose tag was just in time to retire Wiggins, who was coming from third base.
Weber retired the Sals in order in the seventh, and McSorley did the same to IR in the top of the eighth. Martin led off the bottom of the eighth with a double. Bujnowski was next, and he sent the game-winning hit into left center, setting off a wild celebration in front of the third-base dugout.
O’Hanlon, Martin and Bujnowski each reached base twice for the Sals. Rodia had three strikeouts. Salesianum (14-5) will face No. 2 Newark Charter on June 7 at a location and time to be announced. The Patriots defeated the Sals, 4-0, on April 23.
For Indian River, Weber was outstanding, throwing all eight innings and firing 62 strikes in 90 pitches. He struck out four. Grise was on base four times, and Wiggins had two of their five hits and was on three times. The Indians wrapped up a 13-7 season.
Two other Catholic schools also played in the second round. In Georgetown, No. 9 Saint Mark’s fell to No. 8 Sussex Central, 5-2, on a three-run walkoff home run by Osiah Kelly, the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year. Joey Santoro had both runs batted in for the Spartans, who finished the season 13-7.
Meanwhile, No. 10 Archmere needed nine innings to defeat the sixth seed, Lake Forest, 2-1, in Felton. Luke Kenney singled in the ninth inning and stole second base. He scored on another single, this one by Reese O’Halloran. Auks pitchers Shane Harding and Zach Buchta combined for 12 strikeouts and allowed six hits. Archmere (1307) will play the winner of No. 19 Delaware Military Academy and No 3 Caesar Rodney on June 7. Those teams meet Friday afternoon in Camden. If DMA wins, Archmere will be the host.
Photos by Mike Lang.
