(cover photo of Bonner LHP Danny Buckton)
PHILADELPHIA — Danny Buckton didn’t start this game on the mound for Bonner, but he made his presence felt.
The junior LHP missed a good chunk of the season with an injury, but he looked as sharp as ever with four shutout innings of relief as #6 Bonner took down #3 Judge by a 5-3 final on Sunday afternoon. With the win, Bonner will take on #1 La Salle on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 at MSI in the PCL semifinals.
In the other semifinal, #2 Archbishop Wood will take on #5 Archbishop Ryan, which will also be on Wednesday at 4:00 at MSI on the other field. Hope these teams are ready for all the foul balls they will be hitting into each other’s games.
This game looked like it was going to be a slugfest with seven runs in the first two innings, but there was only one run scored in the final five.
Mikey Klawansky got the start for Bonner with Nick Wolf getting the ball for Judge.
Bonner gave Klawansky a 2-0 lead before he even touched the ball after a great first inning. Sergio Hernandez led off the game with a double, then with one out, Ryan Friel hit an RBI double to score him but was thrown out at third.
Even with two outs and no one on, the Bonner offense still pressed. Gavin DiRita doubled on the first pitch and on the next pitch Jack Redding drove him in with a base hit and it was 2-0 just like that.
Judge got one back in the bottom of the first after Klawansky’s pickoff throw got away to allow a run to score to cut the lead in half.
The Bonner offense stayed hot in the second inning to get that run back and then some. Cory Sheridan and Sergio Hernandez had back-to-back one-out singles and after a fielder’s choice, it was first and third with two outs.
Ryan Friel then hit a ground ball that was misplayed, allowing a run to score and made Bonner’s lead 3-1. The Friars took advantage of that mistake as they drew back-to-back walks from DiRita and Jack Redding, the last of which made it a 4-1 Bonner lead.
The see-saw kept swinging in the bottom of the second.
Judge had a leadoff walk from Ryan King and George Conway reached after his bunt was misplayed to put two runners on. Shane Szychulski singled up the middle to score King and cut the lead back to 4-2 Bonner. After a successful sac bunt, Nick Wolf helped himself out with an RBI groundout to make it a 4-3 game.
Conway came into pitch for Judge in the top of the third and threw a 1-2-3 inning, which was matched by Klawansky in the bottom of the third. A refreshing change of pace after the first two innings.
Bonner was held off the board in the top of the fourth, and after Klawansky walked the leadoff hitter in the fourth, Bonner Head Coach Steve DeBarberie went to lefty reliever Danny Buckton.
It was a good decision.
Buckton retired the next two hitters and also got help from Cole Romano throwing out Ryan King stealing second as well. More on Romano throwing runners out stealing coming up in a bit.
Bonner went down in order in the top of the fifth and Alex Rodriguez led off the inning with a base hit to center field to start the inning for Judge. Like his good pal Ryan King, Rodriguez was caught stealing by Cole Romano for the first out.
Buckton got two more ground outs to end the inning and put Bonner six outs away from the next round.
The Friars wanted to get some insurance runs and the seventh inning is where they finally were able to get some offensive life back. They loaded up the bases with no outs on a Michael Coleman walk, a Ryan Friel single, and Gavin DiRita hit by pitch. Jack Redding then had a productive out when he flew out to left field to score Coleman and extend Bonner’s lead to 5-3.
The Friars certainly would have liked to add more in the inning, but they could not get more than that one.
With the way Danny Buckton was throwing, it didn’t really matter.
Christian Haigh led off the seventh with a base hit which made things very tense on the Bonner side of the field. Buckton then dialed in his command as he picked up back-to-back strikeouts looking to put the Friars one out away from the next round.
While Buckton may have wanted to get a third straight strikeout to end the game, Cole Romano would not give him that chance. With a 3-2 count, Cole Romano caught Christian Haigh stealing to wrap up this game and send Bonner to the semifinals.
They will have a very tough task as they take on La Salle, with William & Mary recruit Jack Pye likely starting on the mound for the Explorers. We are expecting to see La Salle University commit Johnny Ortegae on the mound for the Friars in that one.
As mentioned, that game will be 4:00 on Wednesday at MSI. The winner will advance to the PCL Championship on Saturday at 11:00 at Widener. La Salle is looking to defend their title. Bonner is looking for their first since 2022.