(cover photo of Matt Szychulski via Shelby Kauffman/DBN)

RADNOR, PA – The Radnor Raptors, fresh off a 9-2 rout of Upper Perkiomen, host the Hatboro-Horsham Hatters in the PIAA District 1 5A semifinals at Radnor High School.

The 2nd-seeded Raptors (18-3) face the 11th-seeded Hatters (9-12), who upset WC East 6-2 in the first round and moved on to upset #3 Upper Moreland 6-1 in the second round. The winner advances to the District 1 5A championship to face the winner of #1 Chichester vs #4 Upper Dublin, while the loser gets a second chance in Tuesday’s playback game for the final state playoff spot. 

Radnor’s 2024 season saw them surge to the District 1 5A final and a state playoff berth, finishing 15-10 with a seven-game win streak to secure their spot. This year, they co-won the Central League title and continued their dominance against Upper Perkiomen, where junior ace Austin Havertine struck out 11 over five innings, and Matt Szychulski’s two-run homer and Evan Hartman’s two-RBI double fueled a nine-run outburst. Hatboro-Horsham, a Suburban One League Continental contender with a 9-12 record, leaned on gritty pitching and timely hitting to topple Upper Moreland.

Since both teams relied heavily on their pitching staffs this week, Radnor will not be able to start Havertine, who threw five innings on Wednesday, and will likely turn to junior Daniel Kellis (Penn commit), whose command and low-90s fastball can challenge the Hatters’ lineup. Senior Kenyon College recruit Ryan McWilliams could provide relief if needed, or even start. Either way, expect to see both

Offensively, Teddy Monahan, Matt Szychulski, and Zach Fein form a potent trio, with Monahan’s speed and Szychulski’s power driving the attack. Evan Hartman has been a big force in the lineup as well, and Joe Krasowski has had a good season as well.

Hatboro-Horsham could start senior Jamie O’Neil (Ursinus commit), who collected the win against WC East in the first round by throwing 6 innings while allowing just 2 runners and getting 7 strikeouts. He did throw 107 pitches on Monday so it’s tough to see what he would have left.

Junior Conner Cataldi could see some relief duty to change the look. The Hatter’s offense, led by O’Neil, Cole Incudine, Chase Canney, and Dom Rapino (DeSales commit), blends contact hitting and gap-to-gap power to test the Radnor defense.

Radnor’s strategy is to keep their bats hot, using Monahan’s speed and small ball to pressure Hatboro-Horsham’s infield, while Kellis aims to set the tone early. The Hatters will look to work counts against Kellis and exploit Radnor’s bullpen, relying on O’Neil, Incudine, Canney, and Rapino to spark rallies. With both teams battle-tested, execution will be critical.

Radnor’s near-perfect record and their home-field advantage give them the edge, but Hatboro-Horsham’s upset pedigree makes them a dangerous underdog. First pitch is at 4 PM on Friday at Radnor High School.