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After dropping its first game in the MIAA A Conference double-elimination playoff tournament, Archbishop Curley managed to fight its way into week two with solid pitching and clutch hitting, as it reeled off three consecutive wins. Yesterday, however, the Friars could not find either ingredient at Archbishop Spalding, as the host Cavaliers monopolized both.
Powered by a pair of three-run home runs, off the bats of Kevin Moran and Jeff Kemp, Spalding (28-6) backed a three-hit, shutout effort from pitcher Jason Patten to defeat the Friars, 7-0, and move onto the tournament finals, opposite three-time defending champion Calvert Hall. The Cavaliers and Cardinals are scheduled to meet Wednesday night at 7:00 pm at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. Calvert Hall (25-7) needs just one win to retain its crown, while Spalding must win Wednesday to force a decisive "if" game on Thursday, which is also slated for Ripken Stadium.
The top two seeds in the tournament, Calvert Hall and Spalding split their two regular season meetings. Last Friday, the Cardinals gained a major advantage when they defeated the Cavs, 7-2, in the winners' bracket final at Calvert Hall.
Only four Friars reached base against Patten, who worked five innings. The big right-hander was in command all the way, as he walked just one. Kemp came on in the sixth to preserve the win for coach Steve Miller.
"They are a very good hitting team, and I had to hit my spots today," said Patten, who notched his seventh win of the year. "I had a good slider, and I was hitting my spots."
"Jason only threw 57 pitches, and he'll be ready on Thursday," said Miller, obviously looking forward to a victory on Wednesday.
Spalding grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when centerfielder Paul DeVito doubled home catcher Eddie Palmer, who singled to start the inning.
Moran's three-run shot, over the left-field fence with two on in the third, made it 4-0, and Kemp's three-run blast, in the sixth, put icing on the cake.
"I was sitting on a change-up, and I got it," said the slugging shortstop.
The Friars mounted a threat in the fourth, when they had two on and two out with Norm Cushing at the plate. Cushing hit a fly ball to left that had extra-bases written all over it, but Spalding left-fielder Matt Hillsinger made a great diving catch to end the inning and deflate the Friars.
"I caught a fast-ball," said Moran, of his home run. The senior is putting a strong close to an outstanding athletic career at the Anne Arundel County school. The speedy right-fielder was also the qaurterback for the Cavalier football team the last two seasons, leading them to a championship in 2006 and back to the conference championship game last fall.
Both managers will have some interesting decisions to make, with regard to starting pitchers on Wednesday. Calvert Hall skipper Lou Eckerl has a rested Kevin Lingerman, who defeated Spalding last Friday, but he also has senior Mike Dillon, who was the winning pitcher in title clinching efforts, the last two years, for the Cardinals. Miller will choose between DeVito and Kemp.
Regardless of which pitchers make the starts, it will likely be all hands on deck for both teams, with a title on the line.
Curley, the third seed in the tournament, ended its season at 23-8.
Archbishop Spalding 7, Archbishop Curley 0
AC 000 000 0 - 0 3 1
AS 010 303 x - 7 7 0
Franke, Fritz (4), and Waltman; Patten, Kemp (6) and Palmer.
2B: AC-Dove; AS-DeVito.
HR: AS-Moran, Kemp.
WP-Patten LP-Franke
Powered by a pair of three-run home runs, off the bats of Kevin Moran and Jeff Kemp, Spalding (28-6) backed a three-hit, shutout effort from pitcher Jason Patten to defeat the Friars, 7-0, and move onto the tournament finals, opposite three-time defending champion Calvert Hall. The Cavaliers and Cardinals are scheduled to meet Wednesday night at 7:00 pm at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. Calvert Hall (25-7) needs just one win to retain its crown, while Spalding must win Wednesday to force a decisive "if" game on Thursday, which is also slated for Ripken Stadium.
The top two seeds in the tournament, Calvert Hall and Spalding split their two regular season meetings. Last Friday, the Cardinals gained a major advantage when they defeated the Cavs, 7-2, in the winners' bracket final at Calvert Hall.
Only four Friars reached base against Patten, who worked five innings. The big right-hander was in command all the way, as he walked just one. Kemp came on in the sixth to preserve the win for coach Steve Miller.
"They are a very good hitting team, and I had to hit my spots today," said Patten, who notched his seventh win of the year. "I had a good slider, and I was hitting my spots."
"Jason only threw 57 pitches, and he'll be ready on Thursday," said Miller, obviously looking forward to a victory on Wednesday.
Spalding grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when centerfielder Paul DeVito doubled home catcher Eddie Palmer, who singled to start the inning.
Moran's three-run shot, over the left-field fence with two on in the third, made it 4-0, and Kemp's three-run blast, in the sixth, put icing on the cake.
"I was sitting on a change-up, and I got it," said the slugging shortstop.
The Friars mounted a threat in the fourth, when they had two on and two out with Norm Cushing at the plate. Cushing hit a fly ball to left that had extra-bases written all over it, but Spalding left-fielder Matt Hillsinger made a great diving catch to end the inning and deflate the Friars.
"I caught a fast-ball," said Moran, of his home run. The senior is putting a strong close to an outstanding athletic career at the Anne Arundel County school. The speedy right-fielder was also the qaurterback for the Cavalier football team the last two seasons, leading them to a championship in 2006 and back to the conference championship game last fall.
Both managers will have some interesting decisions to make, with regard to starting pitchers on Wednesday. Calvert Hall skipper Lou Eckerl has a rested Kevin Lingerman, who defeated Spalding last Friday, but he also has senior Mike Dillon, who was the winning pitcher in title clinching efforts, the last two years, for the Cardinals. Miller will choose between DeVito and Kemp.
Regardless of which pitchers make the starts, it will likely be all hands on deck for both teams, with a title on the line.
Curley, the third seed in the tournament, ended its season at 23-8.
Archbishop Spalding 7, Archbishop Curley 0
AC 000 000 0 - 0 3 1
AS 010 303 x - 7 7 0
Franke, Fritz (4), and Waltman; Patten, Kemp (6) and Palmer.
2B: AC-Dove; AS-DeVito.
HR: AS-Moran, Kemp.
WP-Patten LP-Franke
