(cover photo of Keller Bradley courtesy of Kyle Demott)

LEVITTOWN, PA – The #5 Pennsbury Falcons (15-5-1) shut out the #12 Lower Merion Aces (13-8) 7-0 in a PIAA 6A District 1 second-round matchup at Pennsbury High School on Tuesday, advancing to the quarterfinals with a dominant performance on the mound from Vanderbilt recruit Keller Bradley.

Bradley was electric, tossing a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and just one walk, stifling a Lower Merion squad that had beaten Conestoga 8-2 a day earlier. He struck two batters in the first to set the tone and continued by striking out the side in the fourth.

The only offensive production came from the bat of Brendan O’Gara with a double and singles by Nicholas Dragut and Calvin Rendle. Pennsbury took the lead in the first when Evan Hawkes singled, stole second, and scored on Dylan Hirsh’s sacrifice fly. Ryan Webber’s triple in the third scored Hirsh, who had been hit by a pitch, making it 2-0.

The Falcons broke it open in the fifth against Lower Merion starter Justin Heck. Kawkes walked, stole second, and scored on an error by the center fielder, while Pierce Perry’s single drove in Hirsh for a 4-0 lead. In the sixth, reliever Peyton Spiegler struggled as Hirsh’s two-run double scored pinch runner Trip Hansbury and Carson Crane, and Webber’s single plated Hirsh, pushing the lead to 7-0.

Heck took a tough loss, allowing 4 runs (just 2 earned) on 3 hits over 5 innings, with 3 strikeouts and 4 walks. 

Pennsbury, SOL Patriot Champions (11-4), advances to face #4 seed Coatesville later this week, leveraging their deep lineup and home-field advantage in a game moved up from Wednesday due to expected weather. Lower Merion couldn’t find their rhythm after their first-round win, finishing 13-8. The Aces struggled to solve Bradley’s fastball and sharp breaking pitchers, ending their postseason run at Pennsbury.