Joe Parisi Coach Parisi's Daily News All-City Players: FIRST TEAM Gene Schall P 1988 Jack Stanczak 1B 1989 Chris Massella INF 1990 Roger Harrington OF 1992 Kevin Kline DH 1994 Drew Middlemiss 1B 1997 Ed Bongard C 1998 Jeff Pietrak OF 1998 Bryan Harvey INF 2000 John Reifsnyder INF 2001 Ryan Parfitt OF 2001 Dan Waters OF 2002 Dan Waters, P 2003 Matt Zielinski P 2005 Matt Zielinski P 2006 Sean Saverio C 2007 Shawn O'Neill P 2009 Joe Forcellini 1B 2011 Corey Baiada C 2012 Kevin Long P 2012 Dom Couci P 2013 Chris Melillo 1B 2013 Dominic Couci P 2014 Jimmy Herron CF 2014 Nick Dermo C 2014 SECOND TEAM Gene Schall OF 1987 Jack Stanczak OF 1988 Drew Shire OF 1989 Shawn O'Brien C 1991 Roger Harrington OF 1991 Kevin Olender 1B 1993 Bob Ball INF 1993 Dave Fritz P 1993 Ryan Harrington INF 1995 Pat Gorman C 1996 Paul Grevy P 1997 Pat Salvitti P 1999 Keith Olender P 1999 John Reifsnyder INF 2001 Mike Pennington INF 2005 Mike Villari OF 2006 Matt Howard OF 2007 Tyler Freeman INF 2009 Joe Aloia OF 2009 Colin Pyne INF 2011 Corey Baiada C 2011 Colin Pyne INF 2012 Tyler Kozeniewski OF 2012 Brad Schneider INF 2014 Chris Melillo DH 2013 Jimmy Herron OF 2013 THIRD TEAM Duke Wolpert C 1987 Dave Wolpert P 1987 Tony Cossetti INF 1989 Chuck Malloy P 1990 Roger Harrington OF 1990 Andrew Wallace DH 1992 Danny Quinn INF 1994 Drew Middlemiss 1B 1996 Jeff Pietrak OF 1996 Ed Bongard C 1997 Drew Santillo INF 1999 Mike Mattern P 1998 John Malara INF 1999 Matt Michel OF 2000 Ryan Parfitt OF 2000 Chris Jeffers C 2002 Pat Riley DH 2003 Mike Villari OF 2005 Bill Warrender OF 2006 Sean Saverio C 2006 Shawn O'Neill P 2008 Nick Burns P 2011 Mike Piscopo INF 2012 Dom Cuoci P 2012 Joe Picard OF 2013 Brian Buckley 1B 2014 Ryan Coonahan OF 2014 John Scheffey P 2014

Joe Parisi Tribute Page   Joe Parisi coached La Salle High's baseball team for 28 seasons (1986-2003, 2005-14), winning 453 games and nine championships (four Catholic, three City, two State). He won his first crown in 1988 with a triumph over Neumann. Here is that story . . . By Ted Silary   The team that went under together all season has won the Catholic League baseball title together.   That team is La Salle, which yesterday surged past St. John Neumann, 5-2, at Temple's Erny Field to claim its first baseball championship since 1959.   If you are wondering how the Explorers "went under together," rest assured it had nothing to do with, say, scuba diving.   It had everything to do with hypnosis.   Meet Gabe Blanco, a first-year Spanish teacher at La Salle and a registered hypnotist. When the championship jackets are ordered, tell the sporting goods firm to slap a big "TH" on the left shoulder of Blanco's. For Team Hypnotist.   Once a week, for about 15 minutes, the Explorers convened in a classroom. Therein, they allowed Blanco to help them to learn, and apply, relaxation techniques, and to think nothing but positive thoughts.   Sorry to disappoint, but the proceedings did not begin with Blanco swinging a medallion and murmuring, "Your eyelids are getting heavy . . . You are totally relaxed . . . You are falling into a deep sleep . . . When I count to five, you will be . . . "   They started with the players and coaches slumping into chairs, taking deep breaths and closing their eyes.   "The idea was to concentrate, just get into yourself," said junior leftfielder Bill Watts, who was the game's most prominent star, with three hits and a sensational catch to halt a third-inning Neumann rally. "Senor Blanco would say things to make us feel relaxed, then talk about focusing on how we hit or how we pitch.   "He'd say, 'Just play to the best of your ability. Don't worry about what others want you to do. You have a good team. You're going to do well. Visualize yourself making the play. Getting the hit. Throwing strikes.'   "Not all of us took it seriously at first. Some of us felt, 'It's a chance to close our eyes, get a little rest. ' But as time went on, the guys allowed it to work. They all said they felt good about it. I definitely feel it had a positive impact on our season."   Joe Parisi, La Salle's third-year coach, permitted Blanco to become involved with his team because he saw firsthand, and heard secondhand, that the sessions were worthwhile.   "In my psychology class last fall," Parisi said, "I spent a week talking about stress and stress management and relaxation techniques. With a registered hypnotist on board, I thought it would be neat to have him come in and talk with the kids. They loved it. It was all they talked about for the next two days.   "Initially, his team involvement was with swimming. (Coach) Tony Amand thought it was helpful from two standpoints - that the kids' times improved and that they were better able to relax. Gabe offered to help with baseball, and we've met regularly since."   Parisi then laughed and added, "I'm not sure hypnosis had a whole lot to do with this, but we were winning games when we started and we kept winning them, so . . . I'm superstitious.   "I can say, on a personal level, that the techniques have helped me relax, though I guess no one could tell in the last four innings."   Hey, compared to the first three, the last four were a breeze.   Though La Salle scored three runs in the first and another in the second, and a 4-0 lead sure seemed safe with senior righthander Gene Schall (12-1 record entering play) on the mound,  Neumann made consternation-causing noise of its own in the home third.   Jerry Lawson's double scored Jim Benatti with one out, Nick Brunetti's single scored Lawson with two outs, and there was Schall, partially reeling.   Neumann pitcher Rob Carfagno, who would become a loser for the first time in his high school career (14-1 total, 9-1 this year), then hammered a low liner to left. Watts raced in, dove and made a "This Week in Baseball" catch.   Thereafter, the Buccos advanced no one beyond second base. Not only did the wind go out of their sails, their sails collapsed on the deck and suffocated them.   Visualize yourself making the play.   "I thought I could get it," Watts said. "I've been struggling in the field. I haven't been getting good jumps. I've been making catches in wacky ways. Everybody looks and thinks, 'Good catch,' but I could have made it easier.   continued right below . . .

SEASON BY SEASON Catholic League 1986: 5-11 1987: 10-6 1988: 13-3 1989: 13-3 1990: 11-5 1991: 10-6 1992: 11-5 1993: 11-3 1994: 11-3 1995: 5-9 1996: 10-4 1997: 11-7 1998: 14-4 1999:  15-3 2000:  14-4 2001: 15-3 2002: 13-5 2003: 13-5 2004: Sabbatical 2005: 12-2 2006: 12-2 2007: 15-6 2008: 10-4 2009: 9-5 2010: 8-6 2011: 8-4 2012: 12-0 2013: 11-4 2014: 12-3 Total: 314-125 Overall: 453-238 --- CATHOLIC LEAGUE TITLES 1988 1994 2005 2013 CITY TITLES 2012: 4A 2013: 4A 2013: 4A STATE TITLES 2012: 4A 2014: 4A -- LINEUPS FOR CL CHAMPS 1988 Tony Cossetti, 2b Jeff Peek, cf Gene Schall, p Tom Poehlmann, 3b Jack Stanczak, rf Bill Watts, lf Ed Weber, c Chris Massella, ss Terry Burke, 1b 1994 Ryan Harrington, lf Tim Gannon, 3b Don Quinn, 2b Kevin Kline, p Jaime Cevallos, ss Bill Hartman, rf Frank Colucci, c Frank Grosso, 1b Chris Clayton, cf 2005 Mike Villari, cf Tom Lyons, 2b Steve Ullrich, lf Mike Pennington, 3b Will Phillips, ss Zac Hess, 1b Bill Warrender, rf Nick Manzi, dh Sean Saverio, c    Matt Zielinski, p 2013 Joe Picard, lf Jimmy Herron, cf Chris Melillo, 1b John Fabriziani, dh Pete Auteri, rf Dominic Cuoci, p Nick Dermo, c AJ Grezeszak, ss Brad Schneider, 2b   Adam Arcadia, 3b

  "I was going for it all the way. (Centerfielder) Jeff Peek always tells me that if I want to go for broke, he'll be there to back
me up. That play seemed to change the momentum."
  It also allayed Schall's fears, and thrust him back on track.
  "It reminded me not to be afraid to throw strikes, and that I didn't have to do everything by myself," said Schall, who
yielded seven hits. "I knew I had a team behind me. All I had to do was let the guys make the plays."
  Schall, the coaches' Northern Division MVP bound for Villanova, singled in La Salle's fourth run, in the second inning. He
also played a role in the three-run first.
  That inning's sequence was: hit batsman (Peek) with one out, hard single by Schall through the left side, bloop single to left
by Tom Poehlmann to load the bases, a balk by Carfagno to score Peek, a sacrifice fly by Jack Stanczak to score Schall and
another bloop single to left to score Poehlmann.
  In all, Carfagno yielded 12 hits before switching to first base after 5 2/3 innings. Five, at best, resulted from hard contact.
  Carfagno, starting on three days' rest (after pitching once a week all season), clearly was not sharp. But La Salle made him
bleed by dumping flares in front of outfielders who were playing too deeply.
  In the seventh inning, Neumann showed only a hint of life, and that was with help (a one-out throwing error by third
baseman Poehlmann). Then, Schall made a great stop on Lawson's hopper and gave sophomore shortstop Chris Massella the
chance to serve as the pivotman on a game-ending, 1-6-3 doubleplay.
  Finally, the Explorers were able to fully relax, right?
  Wrong. They were too keyed up, but don't tell Gabe Blanco.
  "The sessions we had were always before practice," Schall said, "and I did notice that they helped me head for the field in a
good frame of mind. I'm sure that, eventually, that feeling transferred over to game day.
  "When Senor Blanco said he had helped other teams win championships (before coming to La Salle), that really caught
people's attention. And now, here we are, winning a championship. What he did for us must have helped somewhat."
  TITLE TIDBITS: Neumann's last title was in 1960 (10-2 over Judge). The Buccos lost in '67 (2-1 to Judge) and '86
 (13-7 to North) . . . La Salle started five juniors (Tony Cossetti, Jeff Peek, Jack Stanczak, Bill Watts, Ed Weber) and a
sophomore (Chris Massella) . . . The South has won only one title this decade (O'Hara in '83) . . . La Salle first baseman
Terry Burke made scoops all day on low pickoff and infield-grounder throws . . . Neumann coach Sal Intelisano: "Rob's
(Carfagno) arm was still tender until yesterday. He didn't have his normal stuff, but he gave us a great effort."
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This story was written in 1994 after the Explorers won the CL championship,
over their big rival, thanks to a large, late comeback . . .

By Ted Silary
  La Salle High's baseball team did more than win the Catholic League championship.
  It saved Chris Clayton lasting heartache.
  Clayton, a junior, starts in centerfield for the Explorers. He has good speed all the time and good hands most of the
time.
  But in the bottom of the sixth inning yesterday at La Salle University, Clayton dropped Drew McCormick's deep drive
or a four-base error. Three runs scored and St. Joseph's Prep owned a 7-4 lead en route to what it was hoping would
be its very first baseball title.
  As McCormick circled the bases, The Prep's numerous and boisterous fans exploded in glee. All game, they had
shown more exuberance than La Salle's rooters. They were happy to rejoice with extra force as their fellow private
school, their Thanksgiving football rival, experienced agony.
  As the noise continued, La Salle pitcher Kevin Kline, before giving way to lefthander Roger Burns and moving to
shortstop, tossed his glove to the grass in a combination of frustration, disgust and amazement. Clayton stood in center,
counting the eyeholes in his spikes and dreading the return to the dugout.
  "I thought I'd lost it. I thought it was over," Clayton said.
  Not by a long shot. Not by a medium shot. Not by any shot.
  The Explorers scored seven - count 'em, seven - runs in the top of the inning to take an 11-7 lead. Then they held on
to win, 11-8, although coach Joe Parisi had to use two sophomore pitchers, Bill Murphy and Mike Wilkin, in the frame.
  "Character!" Parisi roared at game's end. "That's all this was, character. "
  If reporters didn't hear Parisi the first time, they had many more opportunities.
  "I know I probably said it a hundred times," Parisi said later, "but this team showed character all year. They don't have
as much talent as my other championship team (in 1988), but it certainly has the most" - brace yourself, here it comes
again - "character of any team I've coached. "
  After Clayton made a sprawling catch to end the disastrous sixth, he was greeted by almost everyone as he approached
the dugout.
  "They were saying not to worry," Clayton said. "They were saying, 'We can come back. We've been doing it all year.'
At first I didn't believe them . . . Then I did start to believe them."
  That happened when the first five batters reached base. When leadoff man Ryan Harrington hit a hard groundball to
third baseman Bill Moule, a game- ending doubleplay appeared possible as Moule immediately stepped on third. But the
throw by Moule, who showed incredible brass by playing with a broken right hand throughout The Prep's four-game
playoff run, was way wide of first baseman Mark Mooradian and Bill Hartman checked in with the tying run.
  The last four runs scored on a two-run, inside-outed double along the leftfield line by second baseman Donny Quinn
and a two-run double by Kline high off the fence in left-center.
  "We couldn't get out of the inning," lamented Steve Bongard, The Prep's first-year coach. "We couldn't finish."
  Said Parisi: "In the dugout before we batted, everybody was saying, 'Remember Dougherty . . . Remember Ryan . . .
emember McDevitt . . . Remember Judge. ' We beat those four teams with last-inning rallies in the middle of an
eight-game league winning streak. It wasn't like we hadn't come from behind before."
  Neither was it like La Salle marched to the title in a carefree manner. Late in the regular season, two key starters and
the then-No. 1 pitcher were dismissed from the team for Senior Prom Night indiscretions.
  Parisi declined comment on the effect of the subtractions, except to say, ''That was another reason I talked about
character so much."
  For Quinn, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI and scored three runs, his contact on his final at-bat was his weakest of the
game.
  "That wasn't exactly what I wanted to do there," he said, smiling, "but it counts as a hit. When it fell in, it felt like a
person jumped off my back."
  Said Kline: "That broke their backs. I know what that can do to you, to make a good pitch and have a hit fall in.
Disheartening."
  Kline went 3-for-4 with a walk, three doubles and three RBI.
  "I felt comfortable at the plate," he understated.
  Kline had gone the distance last Saturday when La Salle edged Father Judge, 5-4, to win the Northern Division title.
  "He had three days' rest after throwing only 100 pitches," Parisi said. ''Sorry. You don't get into this situation often
enough to go with your No. 2 pitcher."
  In The Prep's seventh, Murphy stayed around long enough to surrender one run on three walks, a wild pitch and two
groundouts. With the count 2-0 on Mike Chiliberti, Parisi scurried to the mound and summoned Kline from shortstop.
  However, he was told by plate umpire Pete DeIuliis that under National League rules, which the Catholic League uses
(with exceptions), a pitcher who moves to another position on a second trip of an inning cannot return to the mound
later on. Gene Otto, the CL's supervisor of umpires, backed DeIuliis. After a long delay, Parisi went with Wilkin, who
had appeared in only one previous league game.
  With the count 3-1, Chiliberti flied to leftfielder Harrington.
  The Explorers raced to the area behind the mound, pretended that it was a phone booth, and stuffed themselves into
it. That no one got crushed was a miracle.

This story was written after Joe guided La Salle to its second state title in three
years, in what turned out to be his final game . . .

By Aaron Carter
  One day, he's driving home the game-winning runs in the Class AAAA state championship game and the next, La Salle
High junior Brian Buckley is headed to the United States Military Academy at West Point to learn about life as a cadet.
  As far as fulfilling goals and realizing dreams go, Buckley won the weekend.
  The 6-foot, 208-pound Huntingdon Valley resident, sprayed a liner up the middle with the bases loaded in yesterday's
eighth inning, plating two runs and pushing the Explorers toward a 4-2 triumph over feisty Conestoga at Medlar Field
at Lubrano Park.
  Today, Buckley will begin West Point's Summer Leadership Experience, a 2-week program where high school
juniors engage in academic, athletic, military and social experiences at the USMA.
  "We're big Army people," said Buckley, who is interested in engineering. "They'll teach you what Army life is like,
especially the military training. I'm looking forward to it."
  His older sister, Margaret, is a freshman rugby player at Army. Buckley also said his late grandfather, John
Poehlmann, served in the Army.
  With his hat browned by dirt, his jersey similarly soiled, and 5 o'clock stubble shadowing his face, Buckley certainly
looked the part.
  "I don't know, I just like to get dirty," he said. "I like to give 100 percent and, on a day like this, it's not hard."
  The District 12 top-dog Explorers (21-6), who also won the state title in 2012, nabbed early momentum with a 2-0
lead through three innings after senior Dom Cuoci (2-for-4, RBI) drove in junior Jimmy Herron in the first and Herron
lofted a sac fly in the third.
  Speaking of summer leadership experience, Cuoci (9-1) has that in spades. On 3 days' rest, the Catholic League Red
Division MVP and Pitcher of the Year, grinded through seven innings, scattered eight hits and gave up two earned runs
for the victory.
  During the week, it was unclear whether Cuoci, who is typically affable but legendarily quiet on pitching days, would
start.
  About an hour before the first pitch, Lorenzo Cuoci wasn't sure of his son's status, but had a suspicion.
  "He's only said seven words to me in the last 2 days, so, I think he might be," Lorenzo Cuoci said before the game.
The last four words were: "Love you, too, Dad."
  "It's just a focus thing for me," said Cuoci, whose voice was low, lifeless. "I love being upbeat with the guys, but they
respect it when I'm quiet. I'm trying to get into a zone."
  The District 1 No. 3-seeded Pioneers (20-8) made that tough, rallying with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings
to tie the game at two.
  "I'm worn out, man," Cuoci said. "They took everything out of me . . . They made me work the hardest I've worked
all year. "
  Junior Brandon Little, a North Carolina recruit, pitched seven innings in defeat, but allowed only an earned run on
four hits. Both teams committed two errors.
  Seniors Tom Richter (RBI) and Max Dolente each went 2-for-4. Brandon Ruffenach added the other RBI.
  And after poor execution helped squander a two-on, no-out opportunity in the seventh inning, it appeared the
Explorers' improbable playoff run was in jeopardy.
  When it lost to Roman Catholic in the Catholic League playoffs, La Salle became eligible for PIAA play (because of
the league's point system) only after Ss. Neumann-Goretti defeated the Cahillites for the CL crown.
  "They had every right to pack it in after losing in the [CL] playoffs," head coach Joe Parisi said. "And having people
tell them how lucky there were to be in the playoffs. Well, guess what? You can't be lucky and do what we did today.
These are really good players, great kids and some of the most enjoyable kids around."
  Senior Brad Schneider walked to start the eighth and was followed by singles from Herron and Cuoci. After a
groundout, Buckley smoked the game-winner on an 0-2 count.
  "I've had so many runners on all year and haven't hit them in," he said, "but finally, in a big moment, got 'em in
- finally."
  A good way to start the weekend for the 4.08 GPA student, who said he doesn't have any serious interest from
Army yet, but plans to attend the school, anyway.
  "It's a great feeling," Buckley said. "No other feeling in the world like it. Being out [of the CL playoffs] and then
winning a state championship - it's great, it's great."

  Below are the players who earned first or second team Coaches' All-Catholic honors during Joe Parisi's 28
seasons (1986-2003, 2005-2014) as the coach at La Salle.
*-Division MVP
 

Pos.	FIRST TEAM	Year	Pos.	FIRST TEAM	Year	Pos.	SECOND TEAM	Year
OF	Gene Schall	1987	IF	Pat Riley	2003	OF	Rich DeVincent	1986
P	Duke Wolpert	1987	OF	*Dan Waters	2003	C	Dave Wolpert	1987
3B	Tom Poehlmann	1988	P	*Dan Waters	2003	OF	Jack Stanczak	1988
OF	Gene Schall	1988	INF	Mike Pennington	2005	P	Jack Stanczak	1988
P	Gene Schall	1988	OF	Mike Villari	2005	2B	Tony Cossetti	1989
1B	Jack Stanczak	1989	P	*Matt Zielinski	2005	SS	Chris Massella	1989
OF	Drew Shire	1989	INF	Will Phillips	2006	C	Ed Weber	1989
P	Jack Stanczak	1989	OF	Bill Warrender	2006	OF	Jeff Peek	1989
IF	Chris Massella	1990	OF	Mike Villari	2006	P	Chuck Malloy	1990
OF	Roger Harrington	1990	C	Sean Saverio	2006	DH	Joe McNichol	1990
IF	John Butler	1991	P	Matt Zielinski	2006	OF	Joe McNichol	1991
C	Shawn O'Brien	1991	DH	Jared Carter	2006	OF	Scott Halstead	1992
OF	Roger Harrington	1991	OF	Matt Howard	2007	P	Matt Wright	1992
OF	*Roger Harrington	1992	C	Sean Saverio	2007	DH	Andy Wallace	1992
P	Dan Fritz	1992	P	Shawn O'Neill	2007	C	Barry Lopeten	1994
1B	Kevin Olender	1993	P	Matt Day	2007	OF	Tim Erb	1994
IF	Bob Ball	1993	P	Shawn O'Neill	2008	P	Roger Burns	1994
P	Dan Fritz	1993	INF	Tyler Freeman	2009	P	Kevin Kline	1994
IF	Kevin Kline	1994	OF	Joe Aloia	2009	1B	Drew Middlemiss	1997
IF	Ryan Harrington	1995	OF	Joe Aloia	2009	IF	John Malara	1997
IF	Jaime Cevallos	1995	P	Shawn O'Neill	2009	OF	Jeff Pietrak	1997
1B	Drew Middlemiss	1996	INF	Colin Pyne	2010	P	Paul Grevy	1997
C	Pat Gorman	1996	1B	*Joe Forcellini	2011	1B	Adam Richards	1998
OF	Jeff Pietrak	1996	INF	Colin Pyne	2011	1B	Adam Richards	1998
P	Paul Grevy	1996	C	Corey Baiada	2011	IF	John Malara	1998
C	Ed Bongard	1997	P	Nick Burns	2011	C	Ed Bongard	1998
OF	Jeff Pietrak	1998	INF	Colin Pyne	2012	IF	Keith Olender	1999
P	Mike Mattern	1998	OF	Tyler Kozeniewski	2012	IF	Drew Santillo	1999
IF	John Malara	1999	C	*Corey Baiada	2012	OF	Jim Lyons	1999
P	Pat Salvitti	1999	P	Kevin Long	2012	1B	Chris Dougherty	2000
P	Keith Olender	1999	1B	Chris Melillo	2013	OF	Ryan Parfitt	2000
IF	Bryan Harvey	2000	OF	Jimmy Herron	2013	1B	Dan Buckley	2001
OF	Matt Michel	2000	P	Dom Cuoci	2013	C	Chris Jeffers	2001
P	Bryan Harvey	2000	INF	*Dominic Cuoci	2014	IF	Pat Riley	2002
IF	*John Reifsnyder	2001	OF	Jimmy Herron	2014	OF	Mark D'Angelo	2002
OF	Ryan Parfitt	2001	OF	Ryan Coonahan	2014	P	John Reifsnyder	2002
P	*John Reifsnyder	2001	C	Nick Dermo	2014	IF	Andrew Carnevale	2003
IF	John Reifsnyder	2002	P	*Dominic Cuoci	2014	P	Dave Achey	2003
OF	*Dan Waters	2002	P	John Scheffey	2014	OF	Steve Ullrich	2005
C	Chris Jeffers	2002				P	T.J. Foley	2006
P	*Dan Waters	2002				INF	Tyler Freeman	2008
						P	Matt Day	2008
						1B	Sean Abbott	2009
						OF	AJ Rodriguez	2010
						C	TJ Burgmann	2010
						INF	Jules Arici	2011
						OF	Tyler Kozeniewski	2011
						1B	Chris Melillo	2012
						INF	Mike Piscopo	2012
						P	Dom Cuoci	2012
						INF	Dom Cuoci	2013
						OF	Pete Auteri	2013
						C	John Fabriziani	2013
						P	Tom Cockill	2013
						1B	Brian Buckley	2014
						INF	Brad Schneider	2014

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Recaps of Wins in Catholic League Championship Games 1988 At Temple's Erny Field La Salle 5, Neumann 2     Gene Schall pitched a seven-hitter with six strikeouts and went 2-for-4 with an RBI. The Explorers rolled to a 4-0 lead after 1 1/2 innings. Centerfielder Bill Watts went 3-for-4 with an RBI and made a sensational diving catch in left-center to limit Neumann to two runs in the third (after RBI hits by Jerry Lawson and Nick Brunetti). 1994 At La Salle University La Salle 11, SJ Prep 8     Trailing by 7-4, the Explorers scored seven runs in the visiting seventh as Donny Quinn (3-for-5) and Kevin Kline (3-for-4, three RBI) had consecutive two-run doubles for the final four runs. In the home sixth, Drew McCormick's deep drive had been dropped for a four-base error that yielded three runs. Roger Burns pitched one-third of an inning for the win. With The Prep stirring heavily in the home seventh (one run in, two out, two on), La Salle coach Joe Parisi tried to return Kevin Kline to the mound from shortstop. A rules technicality prevented that move, so soph Mike Wilkin came in and assumed a 2-0 count against Mike Chiliberti. A flyout ended it. 2005 At La Salle University La Salle 4, Conwell-Egan 3    Junior lefthander Matt Zielinski pitched perfect ball through five innings and finished with nine strikeouts in a four-hitter. C-E's Chris David opened the sixth with a double off the leftfield fence and later scored on Joe Jordan's infield single. The seventh began with Rich Dupell's single and Matt Burns' homer over the fence in the leftfield corner. After a visit from coach Joe Parisi, who told him to retire the next three batters and expressed confidence that he would, Zielinski did just that on a strikeout, popout and fly to centerfielder Mike Villari (3-for-3, RBI, run scored). La Salle scored two apiece in the first and fourth. Will Phillips' sacrifice fly and a wild pitch plated two unearned runs in the first. Sean Saverio and Villari had RBI singles in the fourth. 2013 At Widener University La Salle 10, SJ Prep 0 (5 inn.)   In the teams' fifth meeting of the season, played on Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend in wicked winds and chilly temps, the Explorers finalized a 3-2 edge on the strength of five runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings. This was the first year of a double-elimination format. Prep won two of the three regular season meetings, then La Salle triumphed twice in a five-day period to avoid game No. 6. Working on three days' rest, Dominic Cuoci allowed one hit -- Shane Williams' fourth inning single -- and recorded 12 groundball outs. La Salle's first run scored on Jimmy Herron's RBI single to third base. Literally. The ball bounced off the bag. Chris Melillo and John Fabriziani (game-ender) stroked RBI hits in each uprising. This was coach Joe Parisi's fourth CL crown (also '88, '94 and '05). The Prep's boss was Joe Falcone, a former La Salle assistant and even the head coach in '04 when Parisi enjoyed a sabbatical.

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Recaps of Wins in City Titles 2012 Class 4A At Richie Ashburn Field La Salle 14, Frankford 1 (6 inn.)   Looking into a noonday sun (the game started at 12:17), shortstop Ricky Alvarez was unable to catch an opening  popup. Four walks and a sac fly later, La Salle owned a 3-0 lead and all hints of drama took the afternoon off. Corey Baiada bagged three RBI while P.J. Acierno, Chris Melillo and Tyler Kozeniewski thirded six. Dom Cuoci allowed three hits and whiffed five and Frankford’s run was unearned. The game was emotional for Frankford coach Juan Namnun and La Salle assistant Bob Peffle, who starred at Frankford and experienced major coaching success there with Namnun as his chief assistant. 2013 Class 4A At Richie Ashburn Field La Salle 8, Frankford 0   Tom Cockill walked none, fanned one and got 15 of his outs thanks to groundballs while scattering six hits. Joe Picard (double) and Brad Schneider (single) lashed hits worth two RBI apiece and AJ Grezeszak went 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored. 2014 Class 4A At Richie Ashburn Field La Salle 16, Washington 1 (5 inn.)   Ryan Coonahan's two-run single was the most productive of six hits in the Explorers' 11-run second. There were also five walks and a plunking. Jimmy Herron finished 2-for-2 with a walk, sacrifice fly and two RBI. Joe Scheffey (three innings) and Joe "Cardinal" Krol shared the pitching. In GW's fourth, Ishmael Bracy singled, Scott Siley doubled and Eddie Tingle lofted a sac fly to center.

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Recap of Win in State Final 2012 Class 4A At Penn State La Salle 3, Council Rock South 1   Kevin Long allowed hits to South's second and third batters, then a passed ball put runners on second and third. He escaped unscathed and wound up twirling a three-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk as the Explorers became the first CL squad to win a state baseball title. The RBI went to Colin Pyne, Mike Piscopo and Dom Cuoci on singles and Corey Baiada started the two-run fourth with a double. South scored on a three-base error followed by a sac fly. Discounting one shaky inning, Long fashioned a 1.11 ERA through the playoffs (2.17 total). 2014 Class 4A At Penn State La Salle 4, Conestoga 2 (8 inn.)   Working on three days' rest, Dominic Cuoci became eligible to earn the win when Brian Buckley lined a two-run single to center in the visiting eighth. John Scheffey posted the save with a 1-2-3 bottom half. The state title was the Explorers' second in three years and, as in 2012, they rebounded after falling short for Catholic League honors. Buckley finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI and twice made strong plays at first base to prevent throwing errors. Cuoci (single) and Jimmy Herron (sac fly) had the Explorers' earlier RBI. Cuoci allowed eight hits (three did not leave the infield) and two walks (one intentional) while striking out two.

 

 

 

 

 

eastern test