(cover photo of Jaidyn Rivera via Shelby Kauffman/Delco Baseball Now)
HAVERFORD, PA — Now that’s how you get revenge.
Haverford moves onto the second round of the PAISAA tournament beating Friends Central 15-3, after the Phoenix beat them 16-6 way back on opening day on March 11th.
The Fords opened things up in the early on Friends Central starter Michael Mamaluy. Pat White hit a fly ball which led to an error, and scored the first run. Zac Fuscaldo came up to the plate and blasted one to right field adding two more, and that would wrap the scoring up for the inning at 3-0.
Friends Central would get one back in their half of the first with a little bit of two out magic off of Haverford School starter Jacob Horwitz. An error and a walk would get two guys on with one out. Luke Makuen came through with an RBI single that would score one, but that’s all the Phoenix would get.
Neither team would score in the second, but both drew a walk and hit a single.
Pat White started the third inning off with a bang, a solo shot to left. Zac Fuscaldo would follow with a walk then a couple batters after him would draw another walk. Caleb Siever came through with an RBI single to left to make it a 5-1 lead.
After a strikeout, Friends Central got the bases loaded. Zac Canterio ripped a base hit to left which scored two. A ground out and line out would follow, so that’s all the Phoenix would get, but they cut the lead to two at this point, 5-3. That also wrapped up the scoring for Friends Central on the day.
The Fords opened the fourth inning with two bombs. First from Jaidyn Rivera and then Thomas Lawler would follow. Pat White, who had a nice day at the plate, drew a walk. Nicky Vanni came up and hit a one out double to score White. That wraps up the top of the fourth, 8-3.
After a walk and single, Friends Central was not able to capitalize in their half of the fourth, but they did knock Jacob Horwitz out of the game. He ended the day with 3.1 innings pitched, three hits, no earned runs, and seven strikeouts.
In the top of the fifth, Haverford grabbed three more, continuing to pour it on. First an RBI single from Pat White, then another RBI single from Nicky Vanni and lastly another RBI single this time from Ethan Farrington. That would finish things for the Fords in the fifth, 12-3.
Adding more insurance in the top of the sixth, once again Haverford gathered another three. Starting things off was Zac Fuscaldo being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Following Fuscaldo was a walk and a sac fly, which concluded all scoring for the game.
After Owen Murphy tossed a scoreless 1.2 innings, Mike Noone came in for the bottom half of the sixth, and shut down Friends Central, having them go 1-2-3.
In a game where Haverford got things going early and didn’t stop, they took down Friends Central. This ends the season for Friends Central and #10 seed Haverford will look to carry the momentum into next Tuesday (5/20) where they will meet the #2 ranked Perkiomen School.