(cover photo of Logan Correll via Brendan Ricciardi/DBN)
MALVERN, PA – Have a day, Reggie King! The junior and recent First Team All-Inter-Ac selection mashed two doubles as the Episcopal Academy Churchmen defeated the Perkiomen School Panthers in the PAISAA semifinals by a 4-2 final.
The early innings were quiet on the scoreboard, thanks to Episcopal starter and Lehigh recruit Logan Correll and Perkiomen starter and Northwestern recruit Justin Fryer.
Correll had a great day on the mound. He allowed four hits, two runs, and recorded five strikeouts in 5.1 innings with his senior season on the line.
The scoring opened in the top of the fourth inning. Fellow First Team selection Spencer Schuh singled, then Reggie King hit a one-out double to left. With ducks on the pond, Second Team choice Will Cohen singled to score Schuh.
The Churchmen were not done there. Logan Correll singled to right to score King, and then he and Cohen advanced on an error.
The final run of the inning came when Ian Ferrell hit a sacrifice fly, and Correll was thrown out trying to advance to third, securing a 3-0 lead.
The next inning and a half were scoreless.
Coming to the plate to lead off the top of the sixth was Jake Virbitsky. The catcher ripped a triple to left field to apply pressure to Northwestern commit Justin Fryer.
Then, Reggie King scored Virbitsky on a double to center, which was immediately followed by a bunt single from Will Cohen. Three straight outs would keep the score at 4-0.
Perkiomen responded in the bottom of the sixth with two runs of their own. The first came via a sacrifice fly from Penn State commit Avery Smith, and the second from a bases-loaded walk from freshman Cole Tucholski.
With one out, Roman Notaro entered the game. The junior got out of the jam quickly with a double play, holding the score at 4-2.
Episcopal was then held scoreless in the top of the seventh.
After Dino Liberi walked, Coach Grandieri made the call to bring in sophomore Charlie Smith.
Smith recorded two quick outs, and it looked like the third out would be easily attained. They refused to go down easily, however, as Ryan Sink walked and Ian Perez reached on an error.
With two outs and bases loaded, Avery Smith, their star hitter, stepped up. The count quickly moved to 1-2 before Charlie Smith recorded a strikeout to end the game with a final score of Episcopal 4, Perkiomen 2.
Episcopal will face off against Malvern Prep, who defeated Germantown Academy, in the PAISAA championship at Malvern Prep Saturday morning at 10:30.