(image via Josh Krautzel/DBN)
Well that’s a fun way to start our game of the week series for 2026!
We knew going into the game that this battle between two top Central League contenders was going to be good, and it did not disappoint at all.
You can check out the full broadcast below with myself and new addition Jonah Casel of Friends Central (’27), who you will not believe was calling a baseball game for the first time ever after only having done basketball before. He’s the real deal.
(the original game was meant for Wednesday 3/18. Very happy it got moved to Friday because it was cold as hell on Wednesday)
Haverford 3, Garnet Valley 2
By: Brendan Ricciardi:
We started our stretch of our game of the weeks last year with 5-6 duds in a row, so it’s refreshing to start out with such a great game like this.
Two of the best pitchers in Delco faced off with Garnet Valley’s Ryan McGhee taking on Haverford’s Jimmy Boyle, two pitchers who were on our First Team All-Delco lists last year. McGhee as a two-way player, but he would have been as a pitcher if he didn’t hit as well.
Garnet Valley scored their first run in bizarre fashion in the second inning, as courtesy runner Ashton Yau scored all the way from first base on an errant pickoff throw, as the throw to third also got away.
Haverford didn’t have much offense until back-to-back two-out triples from Shane Durkan and Jimmy Boyle in the third.
Both pitchers exited the game with the score 1-1, with Dylan Orr coming in for Garnet Valley and Luke O’Connell for Haverford.
Garnet Valley took the lead in the sixth with a sac fly from McGhee, and after a 1-2-3 inning from Orr, things looked promising for the Jaguars.
It would be silly to count out the defending Central League Champions, however.
In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Rocco Kelleher worked a walk and Gavin Andrewson singled to put the winning run on first.
Pinch-hitter Charlie Pusztay walked on four pitches, loading up the bases for Bobby Menear. Just like Pusztay, Menear also drew a walk on four straight pitches.
The winning run was just 90 feet away for Shane Durkan, who after a seven pitch at bat, watched ball four go upstairs and the Fords dugout exploded.
Both of these teams will be playoff bound, there’s no doubt in my mind about that. Both of these teams can absolutely win the league as well.
The teams combined for just seven hits, with Garnet Valley’s Cole Lombardo the only player to have more than one hit.
Haverford improves to 2-0 (1-0 CL) and will be right back to work on the road for a tough non-conference game against Plymouth-Whitemarsh Saturday.
As for Garnet Valley, they suffer their first loss and fall to 2-1 (0-1 CL) and head to Upper Darby on Monday for their next game.
Sun Valley 12, Unionville 8
By: Nick Mazzarella:
The finale of this game had me getting home as fast as SEPTA could get me to share this game.
All I can say is wow. Is this the Vanguards’ year? Sun Valley came back from a near impossible 8-1 deficit in only one inning, and already have two wins in two games as compared to last year’s three wins in 19 games.
Unionville got off to a quick start, hanging three runs in the first, but the Vanguards got one back in the second, as Jax Casamento drove in Danny Miller on an error to make it 3-1.
But after that, Sun Valley’s offense went quiet, and the pitching couldn’t do much to help, as Unionville got out to a commanding 8-1 lead after the top of the sixth.
The Vanguards could have either A: Wave the flag and accept the loss, or B: Shock the world.
They went with option B.
Alex Mai took one for the team and got plunked to lead off the inning, and with one out, Miller and Julien Quinney walked and singled to load the bases up. This was followed by two walks and an error to make it an 8-5 game.
Then suddenly, after a strikeout, Sun Valley was down to their last out in the sixth with two men on base.
Josh Dawson walked to load ’em back up, and Mai got hit for the second time in the inning to make it 8-6 and keep the bases loaded. After a single from Jaden Comisiak to make it a one run game, Miller took his second walk of the game to tie everything up. If it ended right after this, it still would have been hell of a comeback, but they were not done.
But with the bases still juiced, Quinney hit the go-ahead two-run single to put the Vanguards on top by two. And during the next at bat, Miller came home to score on a passed ball, which was then followed by a base hit by Austin Jennings to make it a 12-8 game, and the come back was nearly complete.
Ryan Messick came and slammed the door shut, to secure a huge comeback win for the Vanguards.
After early pitching struggles, Evan Morris and Messick threw two-shutout innings to help the Vanguards come back.
Sun Valley moves to 2-0, and picks up their first win in the Ches-Mont, and will go on to face Coatesville on Monday 3/23.
Devon Prep 4, The Haverford School 1
By: Brendan Ricciardi:
Devon Prep had a late season surge in 2025 under first year Head Coach (and former Haverford School pitching coach) Mike Palumbo that saw them claim the last seed in the PCL Tournament and upset Neumann-Goretti in the first round before falling to La Salle.
They returned nearly their entire team from last year, and hope to get star catcher and Navy recruit Caleb Flannery back at some point this season after an injury during their preseason Florida trip.
That includes top two pitchers Liam Jung and Johnny Doogan, who were both sharp today. Jung allowed just three hits and one unearned run over four inning with 7 K’s, while Doogan threw the final two with four K’s and just a hit allowed. Brady Doyle threw a scoreless inning in between them.
Haverford actually struck first in this one on an RBI double by David Falcone to score Braydon Scanlan for the Fords’ lone run of the day. Devon got that run back on a bases loaded walk by Stephen Land.
Alex Hannah delivered what would be the game-winning hit with an RBI triple in the third to score Christian Leckman. The Tide added two more insurance runs in the fourth after a Caleb Tesfaye single scored Billy Degler and an Austin Conaty fielder’s choice scored Johnny Doogan.
Neither team would score in the last three inning, with Doogan striking out a pair in the seventh to wrap up an opening day win for the Tide.
Mike Noone threw three shutout innings in relief of Owen Murphy for the Fords. Zack Lawler continued his hot start to the year with two hits.
Devon Prep improves to 1-0 and will head to Conwell-Egan on Wednesday to get PCL play started. Haverford falls to 3-2 and is right back to work Saturday against a St. Joe’s Prep team that has three Division I recruits on the mound.
Malvern Prep 7, O’Hara 3
By: Brendan Ricciardi
While Inter-Ac play doesn’t start for Malvern Prep until Tuesday 4/7, the Friars are 2-0 to get their season started after taking down O’Hara.
Vanderbilt recruit Jackson Melconian homered for the Friars and Wake Forest recruit Brady Abate had two hits, a walk, and scored two runs. Cole Scarbinsky and Grady Forsberg both drove in two runs as well.
The real story of this game was Paul DiBona, who was excellent on the mound. He allowed just one unearned run over six innings, and really trusted his defense as he struck out just one. If I had a Vanderbilt recruit at shortstop, I probably would trust my defense as well.
Jack Quinn and Vinny Mancini both had two hits for O’Hara. High Point recruit Adam Schreiber turned in a pretty admirable outing against a lineup like Malvern as he allowed three earned runs over 4.1 innings and five strikeouts.
Malvern improves to 2-0 and will have a very fun matchup Saturday at noon when they take on La Salle out of the PCL at home. O’Hara falls to 1-2 and will be off until their PCL opener at home against Ryan on Wednesday.
Interboro 3, Jenkintown 1
By: Brendan Ricciardi:
Three different pitchers for Interboro, nearly the same production from all of them:
Joel Sheridan: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 K
Jaxson Munro: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 3 K
Tyler Green: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 K
We’ll take that all day!
Interboro got a two-run single from Kaiden Whalen in the bottom of the first, which ultimately was enough to take home the win. Chase Norbeck’s squeeze bunt added a third run in the third inning. Greg Ferrari, Austin Green, Tyler Dean and Anthony Gentile all had hits for the Bucs.
Interboro will be back in action for their first Del Val game on Tuesday when they host Chester.
Carroll 12, Central 2
By: Brendan Ricciardi:
Carroll got a transfer from Haverford’s Jack Stadnicki, and his first start was a glimpse into what is to come for the Thomas Jefferson University recruit.
Stadnicki needed just 72 pitches to go six innings, striking out six with just three hits and two runs (one earned) allowed. Five different players had two-hit games for the Patriots, who scored six in the first inning and never looked back:
Cole Tancredi, Colin Moran, Dan McNally, Max Barnes and Ricky Evans. McNally, Barnes, Evans and Shane Panichi all drove in multiple runs as well.
Year #1 under Pat Dunn was a step in the right direction for Carroll last year, and with Stadnicki alongside Duke recruit Bennett Bishop who is working back from Tommy John surgery, Carroll has a lot to look forward to this year.
The Patriots improve to 2-0 and will host Father Judge on Wednesday to begin their PCL season.
Upper Darby 15, Academy Park 0
By: Brendan Ricciardi:
After a couple of tough losses to begin the season for Upper Darby against Interboro and Ridley, this one had to feel good for the Royals as new Head Coach Tom Faust picks up his first win.
Upper Darby put up TWELVE in the first inning, and three in the third inning to lead them to the win.
Jack Trask, Yerlin Ferliz, Chris Clark and Stephen Pasquarella all drove in multiple runs in support of David Cornett, who struck out seven over three innings.
Upper Darby improves to 1-2 and will have a tough conference matchup on Monday when they host Garnet Valley. Academy Park falls to 1-1 and will host Renaissance Academy for a non-conference game on Monday.
Phoenixville 10, Episcopal 2
By: Brendan Ricciardi:
Phoenixville put across six runs in the third inning, and that was more than enough for the Phantoms to win a game that was a part of some tournament at Phoenixville. Don’t know too much about what it is exactly but trying to learn more.
Michael Schaffer continued a great start to the year at the plate with a two-hit game. Baxter Schuh and Trey Schwaninger both drove in runs for the Churchmen.
Episcopal falls to 2-2 and it appears that they play again Saturday morning but the opponent is still listed as TBD for now.