MALVERN, PA — Malvern Prep (9-1 Inter-Ac) dominated Monsignor Bonner (7-5 PCL) 13-1 on Friday evening, a game that was relocated from Bonner’s flood-prone dirt field to Malvern’s turf due to a ton of rain and several flood warnings.

The rain let up for this game as the Friars’ bats erupted in their final tune-up before the PAISAA Tournament, likely with both teams preserving players for the playoffs. 

Malvern surged ahead in the first inning, plating six runs. Brady Abate walked, stole second, and scored on Andrew Pellicciotta’s double. A Bonner error allowed Pellicciotta to score, and Chase Ecker’s bunt single set up Owen Hammond’s RBI single, scoring Sergio. Walks to Moore and Ryan Capobranco, plus passed balls, ballooned the lead to 6-0. 

The Friars added seven more in the fourth with Ecker’s two-run double scoring Abate and Jackson Melconian, followed by Hammond’s two-run double to plate Sergio and a courtesy runner. Capabranco’s RBI single and Abate’s hit-by-pitch, capped by Melconian’s sacrifice fly, made it 13-1.

Ecker was untouchable on the mound, tossing 4 shutout innings with 1 hit allowed and 2 strikeouts, silencing Bonner’s lineup. Monsignor Bonner scratched across a lone run in the fifth when Cory Sheridan scored during a Sean Dugan, who reached on a walk, steal of second, making it 13-1. Bonner’s pitchers struggled, issuing 8 walks and hitting 3 batters, unable to contain Malvern’s aggressive base running and timely hitting.

Malvern, finishing 29-5 and atop the Inter-Ac, enters the PAISAA Tournament as the 1-seed, hosting the Hill vs Penn Charter (the game will be played on Saturday) winner on Tuesday.

Monsignor Bonner, sixth in the Catholic League, heads to Father Judge on Sunday at 12:00 for their playoff opener. The regular season finale tested both teams’ depth, but Malvern’s firepower proved too much as they head into the postseason with momentum looking to win their third straight state title, while Bonner looks to regroup for their Catholic League playoff run.