GLENSIDE, PA — For a team that started five sophomores, it wasn’t their time. It is La Salle’s time.
#1 La Salle, the defending PCL Champions, are heading back to the PCL semifinals yet again after taking down #10 Devon Prep 6-2 in the quarterfinal round on Sunday. Old Dominion recruit Chris Cavalcante struck out nine across 5.1 innings in the win for the Explorers, who will now take on #6 Bonner at MSI on Wednesday at 4:00.
#2 Archbishop Wood and #5 Archbishop Ryan will be the other semifinal, which will also be Wednesday at 4:00 at MSI on the other field. The over/under on foul balls going into each other’s game is currently set at 7.5.
The game was scoreless through two innings as Cavalcante and Devon Prep starter Liam Jung were both looking strong. Devon Prep had a little something going in the top of the third when Christian Leckman singled with one out and Caleb Flannery followed that up with a double into center field.
Cavalcante was able to recover and strike out Alex Hannah to escape the jam without any harm, keeping the momentum on La Salle’s side.
That momentum stayed with La Salle as they put two runs across in the bottom of the third. Logan Borgmann ripped an RBI double into right field to score Brycen Clarke, and Virginia Tech recruit Aimon Chandler smoked a single into left center to make it 2-0.
Chandler was injured making the turn heading to second base and had to leave the game. He did not return to the game, so that is a very interesting development to watch going into Wednesday’s game.
A pivotal stretch happened in this game in the top of the fourth that was pretty hard to explain with words. Long story short, there was a balk called on Cavalcante that was apparently caused by Ryan Samms trying to call time late which was reversed and Johnny Doogan had to go back to second base.
The Devon Prep coaching staff was not happy, and they were even less happy when Doogan was picked off third to end the inning on a move that is apparently only legal at the high school level.
Mark DiSanto took over on the mound for the Tide, and La Salle started to extend on their lead. The depth on this La Salle lineup showed itself as #9 hitter Ronnie Raby launched a two-run shot to dead center field to double their lead to 4-0.
Most high schools can’t say their nine-hitter is going yard dead center.
The Explorers added another in the inning on a Caden Schmidt base hit.
Devon Prep showed some life in the top of the fifth, though. Hudson Swan reached on an error to lead off the inning and later stole second with two outs. Christian Leckman then delivered a base hit to get the Tide on the board trailing 5-1.
La Salle would never let Devon get comfortable as they added an RBI single from Keegan weed in the bottom of the fifth to get the run back.
The scoring came to a close in the top of the sixth when Hudson Swan singled with the bases loaded off of reliever Ryan Cantz, but they left the bases loaded after two straight strikeouts to end the sixth inning.
The Tide got a one-out walk from Caleb Flannery in the seventh, but that was as close as they would get as La Salle took this one by a 6-2 final.
There are no “moral wins” in the real world, but this was a great first season for new Head Coach Mike Palumbo and Devon Prep. They were 1-11 in the PCL in 2023 and 4-8 last year.
This year, they went 5-7 and won two “win or go home” games against Carroll in the regular season finale and Neumann-Goretti in the first round of the PCL Tournament. Sophomore LHP Johnny Doogan and C Caleb Flannery are two of the most exciting players in the PCL and will be a big part of this core for the next two seasons.
For La Salle, they have three Division 1 pitchers on the roster here and are ready to win right now. They will be facing Bonner on Wednesday at 4:00 at MSI for the right to defend their PCL title.