BRYN MAWR, PA – The Shipley School and Friends Central School faced off in the Friends League championship for the second year in a row. After losing 7-2 last May, Shipley snapped the Phoenix’s four-year streak as Friends’ League champions at home today with a 4-2 victory.
The Gators’ offense was consistent, having not scored multiple runs in any inning. In the first, Jimmy Amplo scored Danny Braslow on a single to right field. In the third, Braslow scored again after Brady Chase reached on an error with two outs. In the fourth, Thomas Humphreys scored after Braslow was caught in a run-down, distracting the FCS defense enough to allow both runners to advance safely. Their final run came in the fifth when Xavier Mahrt scored on a ground ball from Humphreys.
The first five innings were all Hudson Novodor. The lefty had eight punchouts on the day while only allowing four hits.
However, the Phoenix offense would finally show some life in the top of the sixth. After Gavin Yeager singled and Luke Makuen forced a walk, Oliver Lederman smoked a one-out, two-run double to score 4-2.
After a walk from Vaughn Jones, Nikhil McCormick came in to relieve Novodor. McCormick recorded two strikeouts, killing all of the FCS momentum.
Gavin Yeager took the loss for the Phoenix. The sophomore showed some great stuff, recording six strikeouts on the day to only one walk. Michael Mamaluy was moved from first base to the mound, where he recorded the final out in the fifth inning and threw a shutout sixth.
To lead off the top of the seventh, Lafayette commit Caleb Bachman reignited the spark for FCS by taking a hit-by-pitch. This proved futile, as McCormick blew out the flame with a fielder’s choice, ground out, and strikeout to end the game.
It has been a while since anyone other than Friends’ Central has been able to call themselves the champions of the Friends’ League, and Shipley now holds that title.
The Gators look to keep their momentum going into the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association tournament. They have earned the fourth seed and a first-round bye. On Tuesday, they will take on the winner of Germantown Academy and Germantown Friends at home.
As for Friends Central, they are the seventh seed in the PAISAA tournament. They face the Haverford School Fords at home on Friday, who look to recover from the 16-6 loss handed to them by the Phoenix on Delco Baseball’s opening day back in March.