Michael Schaffer came onto the scene in 2024 as an eighth grader getting varsity innings for Episcopal and performing very well in the process.

He unfornately had to miss all of 2025 with an injury, but to say he is BACK would be the understatement of the year.

Not only is he back, but today, he was perfect.

Episcopal 5, Penn Charter 0

By: Brendan Ricciardi:

We typically have a couple of no-hitters every season. Whether that be combined, five-innings, or a good old fashioned seven inning no-hitter.

It’s pretty rare that we see 21 up, 21 down.

That was the case today for Episcopal’s Michael Schaffer, who retired all 21 Penn Charter hitters that he faced in a 5-0 win.

The Churchmen scored three in the third innings on a Reggie King RBI single followed by a two-run Baxter Schuh single that scored King and Schaffer, who reached base more than the entire Penn Charter team.

Episcopal added two insurance runs later on with a Dillon Walls RBI single in the fifth and a Spencer Schuh RBI triple in the sixth, but they were clearly not needed.

Schaffer went out for the seventh inning just three outs away from perfection, and got a fly out to left, a ground out back to himself, and a lineout to left to close this gem out.

Again, still just a sophomore, Schaffer has been one of the best players in Delco this year both at the plate and on the mound, and this just adds another chapter to that.

Episcopal has one of, if not the best, 1-2 punches in Delco with Duke recruit Hunter West along with Schaffer.

The best part is, they’ll both be be here next season as well with West still just a junior.

Episcopal improves to 4-2 in the Inter-Ac after an 0-2 start. They will host Bonner for a non-conference game on Saturday as it looks like the rain may not come until a bit later in the day.

Malvern Prep 5, Germantown Academy 1

By: Brendan Ricciardi:

Malvern Prep has allowed just two runs across three games this week, and that feels like a good recipe for success.

After Paul DiBona’s no-hitter vs Garnet Valley on Thursday, Collin Romanczuk went all seven innings with seven hits allowed, one earned run and seven strikeouts in this one.

Grady Forsberg got the scoring started with a solo shot to left field. The Friars would go on to score one in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to bring home a 5-1 win.

Luke Moore had a hit, a walk and drove in two runs for the Friars. Jalen Bowman and Nick Schmitt also drove in runs for Malvern in the win. Brady Abate and Bryan Cogliano both had doubles as well.

Malvern Prep keeps sole possesion of first place as they improve to 5-1 in the Inter-Ac and 22-3 overall on the year. They’ll have a great test with Maryland’s Calvert Hall on Saturday in Towson, Maryland.

Conestoga 3, Upper Merion 1

By: Brendan Ricciardi:

Owen Wisler may not have started this game, but he sure finished it.

The Conestoga catcher had two hits, driving in all three runs in the road non-conference win for the Pioneers. Upper Merion scored one early in the bottom of the first, but that’s all they were able to get in this one.

Conestoga trailed 1-0 all the way up until the top of the fifth when they finally broke through. Wisler, who was pinch-hitting, delivered a two-run single to score Luke Herrell and Colin White.

Fast forward to the seventh, White came up clutch again, ripping a double to score Herrell for a big time insurance run.

Joe Tinneny had thrown the sixth inning as well, and he came back out for the seventh and tossed a clean inning to win this one 3-1.

All four pitchers for Conestoga threw well in this one:

Shawn Soura: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER

Tommy Sisian: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 K

Liam Scheffer: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER

Joe Tinneny: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K

Since it was a non-conference game, Conestoga’s Central League record remains 4-6, but they improve to 5-7 overall.

Upper Darby 7, Delco Christian 3

By: Brendan Ricciardi:

This one had to feel good for the Royals.

Since beating Academy Park on March 20th, Upper Darby had ten in a row before taking home this win vs Delco Christian. The Royals pushed four across in the second innings to take a commanding 4-0 lead.

Delco Christian would slowly fight back, scoring a run in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings, but Upper Darby put the game out of reach with three in their half of the fifth.

Austin Campbell had a big day on both sides of the ball for Upper Darby. He led the team with three hits at the plate, and also allowed just two earned runs over five innings with four strikeouts. Tommy Chung threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to finish it off.

David Cornett and Stephen Pasquarella both had two hits for Upper Darby. Pasquarella and Javohn Tran both drove in two runs.

Matteo DeBellis had three hits in the loss for Delco Christian while Josiah Lyren had two hits. Petros Nelson drove in a run for the Knights.

Upper Darby improves to 2-12 overall and will host Penncrest on Monday.

Delco Christian falls to 6-6 and will host Westtown Monday.

Shipley 6, Friends Central 3

By: Jonah Casel:

Shipley was able to outlast Friends’ Central in another meeting of two longtime rivals. This game, which went to extra innings, could very well have been a preview of the Friends Schools League Championship. 

Shipley got on the board first in the second inning thanks to a wild pitch by Gavin Yeager that scored Dylan Fusaro. Friends’ Central answered right back in the bottom of the second thanks to Lucas Abreu’s small ball heroics. The senior bunted for a hit, then stole second and third, and scored on a ground ball by Fisher Haggerty.

After those first runs, the pitchers could not be stopped. Hudson Novodor struck out nine in his six innings of work, and Gavin Yeager quieted Shipley’s hot offense.

Friends’ Central’s defense was on fire once again, making the right plays in key situations. They did not record a fielding error for their second consecutive game. The defensive masterpiece was highlighted by an all-out diving catch by Miles Mammele in right field in the top of the seventh.

When the game got to extra innings, Shipley was able to wear down the battered Friends’ Central pitching staff. Mason Purdy blasted a two-run homer to knock Lucas Abreu out of the game, and Shipley kept adding on against sophomore pitcher David Manfre who was thrown into the fire. A five-run eighth inning for the Gators gave them the win.

Friends’ Central did not go down without a fight, however. In the bottom of the eighth, Caleb Bachman was hit by a pitch, Shane McGarry belted a double to left-center, and Lucas Abreu was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Blake Davis capitalized on a throwing error by RJ Harvey, which gave the Phoenix two runs, but it wasn’t enough.

Shipley heads back home to take on Central tomorrow at noon, and the Phoenix will try to return to their winning ways against Central on Tuesday at home. These two teams may not be done with each other just yet, as they are both considered likely to reach the Friends League Finals.

Neumann-Goretti 13, The Haverford School 2

By: Brendan Ricciardi:

Neumann-Goretti put up six runs in two separate innings to take down The Haverford School in five innings.

The Fords scored the first two runs of this game in the first. Danny Getz drove in Zack Lawler with an RBI single, and would come around to score on an error as well, but that’s all the offense for them in this one.

Getz, Zack Lawler, Ethan Stern, Aidan Greenberg and John Buscaglia had hits in the loss for Haverford as well.

The Fords fall to 12-7 on the season while sitting at 3-3 in the Inter-Ac. They will host Malvern Prep on Tuesday for their next game.

The last time that these two teams played on that field, there were 11 combined homers in a 23-15 Malvern Prep win, so buckle up.