Dwyer's Dugout . . . Baseball 2012

MAY 21
CATHOLIC LEAGUE FIRST ROUND
St. Joseph's Prep 4, O’Hara 3
There is nothing like a playoff game that involves St. Joes Prep and Cardinal O’Hara. The atmosphere, the crowd and the intensity on the field are much different when these two rivals match-up.
Just as it was the last time these two pitchers met, a pitcher’s duel was on our hands. SJP’s Ryan Winton and O’Hara’s Mark Onimus were once again going head to head, but this time with much more on the line.
This first round playoff match-up between SJP and O’Hara was much anticipated by the players who couldn’t wait to take the field. Both pitchers had quick first innings and were in their grooves. O’Hara started the scoring in the bottom of the second after O’Hara’s Bobby Ieradi smacked a triple to right field that skipped past SJP’s Mike Borsuk who made a great effort laying out for the ball but couldn’t come up with the catch. Ieradi was driven in by junior Nick Donovan on a fielder’s choice to give O’Hara an early 1-0 lead. O’Hara wouldn’t strike again until the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth, O’Hara’s senior Devin McCann led off with a single and would work his way to third base before being driven in by senior Johnny Kane, who ripped a single to center field.
Onimus seemed to have figured out the SJP lineup, that is, until the sixth inning happened. SJP collected five hits and two walks in the inning to take the lead over O’Hara 4-2. It started with leadoff hitter Jawan McAllister, who doubled to start the rally. Next, senior Skyler Mornhinweg would single to center and advance to second on an over-throw at home plate. McAllister would come into score on a passed ball during the following at-bat. After advancing to third on the passed ball, Mornhinweg would score on a throwing error by O’Hara’s Devin McCann. Following Mornhinweg’s single, Onimus would give up a walk, single, single, walk and a single before being lifted from the game. Senior Chris Stallings would come up for his first at-bat of the game in this inning and deliver the final hit and RBI of the inning, giving SJP all it would need to secure this victory. After Onimus was taken out of the game, senior Mike Schneider would come in to record the final five outs, not allowing another run.
O’Hara would get one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning after senior Steve Trainor singled and came around to score the last run for O’Hara this season. O’Hara would threaten in the seventh inning advancing pinch-runner John Banes to third base after relieving senior Sean Rogers, who had reached on an error to start things up. O’Hara was retired with two close plays in the field and an impressive pick at first base by Skyler Mornhinweg to finish off the game and give SJP the 4-3 win.
St. Joe's Prep will take on undefeated La Salle tomorrow in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs.
O’Hara’s season comes to an end with the biggest group of seniors they’ve had in a while. Best of luck to the senior class as you finish out the year.

MAY 16
CATHOLIC RED
O'Hara 5, Ryan 2
After a rainout on Tuesday afternoon it didn’t look like O’Hara-Ryan would get in Wednesday's game either after the monsoon of a storm that came through last night. The storm broke and the sun was out shining all day and it ended up being a beautiful day for a baseball game. Archbishop Ryan traveled to Cardinal O’Hara to take on the Lions in a Catholic League Red match-up, which would have a serious effect on where both O’Hara and Ryan would finish in the standings.
O’Hara sent junior ace Mark Onimus to the mound today to help secure its chances for the highest seeding possible going into the playoffs next week. Onimus delivered the win, pitching yet another complete game. He recorded 10 strikeouts and only allowed two runs over seven innings pitched. Ryan got to Onimus in the first and fourth innings in very different fashions. In the top of the first inning, the number two hitter for AR, junior Gage Galeone, reached first base on a walk. Galeone then stole second, reached third on throwing error by O’Hara catcher Devin McCann, and then scored the game's first run on a passed ball. (Talk about producing a run) AR only got to Onimus for one more run and that came in the top of the fourth inning when sophomore Connor Golden hit a solo home run to left field.
O’Hara’s offense really came up clutch in the bottom half of the first inning against AR’s starter, senior Matt Budny. Four straight batters reached and scored in the first inning, which proved to be enough for the Lions to hold off AR in this crucial first meeting of the season. O’Hara juniors Scott Grinnan and Nick Donovan led the offense, logging multi-hit games. Also junior Bob Ieradi contributed a two-RBI double in the first to take control of this game early. O’Hara’s fifth and final run came in the second inning after Scott Grinnan reached on a single and stole second, putting himself in scoring position for the three-hitter, Devin McCann, who would drive him in with a single of his own. After the second inning, Budny allowed no more runs and only one base hit the rest of the way.
A combination of good pitching and defense had this game going a very quick pace; it took only an hour and 35 minutes to complete. O’Hara, backed by good pitching and a strong offensive performance, was able to take the first of this two-game series by a score of 5-2.

MAY 10
CATHOLIC RED
Bonner 3, Roman 0
During pregame warmups, it looked as if both teams were ready to go. In the bullpen I watched the starting pitchers, Bonner senior Ronnie Scull and Roman Catholic senior Tom Carroll, fire away as they were both loosening for what was bound to be a pitchers' duel. Both pitchers went the distance for their respective ballclubs, but Bonner was able to get to RC’s Carroll in the third and fifth innings to give Scull all the run support he would need. Scull was a bulldog on the mound today, only allowing two hits and one walk en route to a complete-game shutout that gave Bonner sole possession of second place in the Catholic League Red Division. The offense for Roman was nonexistent today. The Cahillites were only able to get a total of four men on base, none of whom made it past second. RC senior William Dougherty led off the game with a base hit to left field but was erased by a double play the very next at-bat. The only other hit for Roman came in the third inning by sophomore Phil Isaac. Isaac only advanced as far as second base as Scull was able to retire the next two batters to end the threat. After being retired in order during the first inning, Bonner came out hacking in the second and loaded the bases before freshman Rich Tecco grounded into a 4-3 putout to end Bonner’s threat. Tecco, the only freshman on the varsity team, showed his maturity when he returned to the dugout the next inning. Rather than pouting and being affected by his last at-bat, Tecco stepped out of the dugout alone to take swings off the tee. This kid is showing everyone why he deserves to be on the varsity squad. During the next inning Bonner its offense going when leadoff hitter junior Jim Haley and senior Jack Liberatore reached base with singles. After Carroll was able to retire the next two batters, senior Joe Haley stepped up and delivered a clutch two-out single to score two runs. Bonner threatened again in the fourth inning, loading the bases, but was not able to plate a run. After a leadoff single in the fifth by starting pitcher Scull, courtesy runner senior Brian Dempsey was able to swipe his third bag of the game and put himself in scoring position. Senior catcher Dan Furman drove in Dempsey with a single to center field two batters later. The offenses for both teams were shut down in the sixth and seventh innings as the starting pitchers found their grooves. Scull was as dominant as could be today on the mound and also had two hits to help his own cause. I couldn’t help but overhear from the dugout that today was Scull’s third straight two-hit game. He is heating up as the playoffs grow closer and will surely be a force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the season.

MAY 7
CATHOLIC RED
O'Hara 5, SJ Prep 3
Any sporting event between Cardinal O’Hara and St. Joe’s Prep needs no introduction. From the second both teams stepped onto the field for warm-ups you could feel the intensity in the air. SJP wasted no time getting to O’Hara’s ace junior Mark Onimus, having the top three batters in the order score in the first inning. SJP started the game off with a single by sophomore Jawan McAllister, who set the tone. Next in the order was junior Pat O’Dell, who reached on an E5 and was driven in by senior Skyler Mornhinweg the very next at-bat. Clean-up hitter junior Shane Williams drove in Mornhinweg, who reached third on a passed ball, to give SJP a 3-0 lead. However, from this point on Onimus wouldn’t allow another run the rest of the way. O’Hara began their comeback in the third inning when DH junior Scott Grinnan led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Senior Steve Trainor did his job moving the runner to third base before senior Sean Rogers cracked an RBI single to the outfield. Before the inning ended senior Mike Sciasci smacked a double down the left field line putting him and Rogers into scoring position for their number three-hitter senior, Devin McCann. McCann cracked a double off the left-center field fence that scored two runs to tie the game up at 3-3. SJP had men on 3B in the third and fourth innings but were unable to get those runners across home plate. O’Hara’s Grinnan, who started the rally in the third, led off the fifth inning with a solo home run to left field which proved to be the game winner. As soon as that thing left the bat I knew it was gone and SJP’s senior SP Ryan Winton must have, too, from the look he had on his face. The next batter, Steve Trainor, crushed a double to left-center field and eventually came around to score to give O’Hara an insurance run going into the last two innings. O’Hara’s Mark Onimus and SJP’s Ryan Winton both went the distance for their ball clubs but O’Hara got the best of Winton and went home with a 5-3 win in Monday’s Catholic Red match-up. In the midst of this heated rivalry between schools, there was also a rivalry between childhood friends, O’Hara’s Mark Onimus and SJP’s senior 3B Sean Connolly. Onimus and Connolly attended grade school together at St. Dorothy’s in Drexel Hill and are neighborhood friends. From the exchange of glares before, during and after Connolly stepped up to the plate you could tell that these at-bats were for bragging rights. Onimus got the best of Connolly in his first at-bat with a strikeout in the top of the second inning, but Connolly was able to work walks in his final two at-bats in the fourth and sixth inning. I guess we’ll have to wait for the next match-up between these two before Connolly can get his revenge (playoffs??).