WILMINGTON — Tower Hill scored two first-inning runs, and senior sidewinding pitcher Aiden Pratt made them stand up with a two-hit effort in a 2-0 win over St. Elizabeth on April 26.
The day was a mix of rain, clouds and sun, and a light rain began falling as the Hillers came to bat in the bottom of the first. Ryan Coyne greeted Vikings hurler Nick Mancini (St. Joseph Parish, Aston, Pa.) with a triple to center field on the first pitch, and Coyne scored on a ground ball by Trey Truesdell.
Truesdell was safe on a throwing error, and he stole second. The third batter for Tower, Peter Hudson, singled to center to drive Truesdell home, but Mancini settled down. He picked Hudson off first, then retired the next two batters to end the inning.
That would be it for the scoring. Pratt kept St. Elizabeth off balance with his submarine delivery. Chase Consalo singled with one out in the first, and that was the only hit until Zach Tolvaisa (St. Elizabeth Parish) reached on an infield single in the fourth. He walked two, and a batter was safe on an error in the seventh, by which time the sun had disappeared and a steady rain was falling. Pratt struck out 10.
The Vikings stayed close thanks to the pitching of Mancini and some solid defense. Tower Hill loaded the bases with two outs in the second, but Mancini snared a one-hopper back to the mound and forced the runner at home. He picked another runner off in the third, and the Vikings turned a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play in the fourth.
Tower Hill improved to 3-8. The Hillers will host Tatnall on April 29 at 4 p.m. St. Elizabeth (4-8) also plays April 29. The Vikings will meet Wilmington Charter at 3:45 p.m. at Canby Park.
Photos by Mike Lang.
