On to the Semi's

Hot dogs and burgers were being grilled out in center field. Those crazy enough took a ride on the slip-N-slide on the hill. This meant one thing: playoff baseball. After clinching the Red Division for the first time since 1998, Bonner was set to host Father Judge in the quarterfinals. Judge earned the right to play Bonner after defeating St. Joe's Prep 5-4 in 11 innings Monday.

Early on, it looked like Bonner was going to run away with this one....literally. Lead-off man and first team All Catholic Rick Reigner hit a screaming line drive to deep right field. He used his speed to round all the bases, and score on an inside the park home run. After Sam Christie singled, Matt Mullen hit a routine ground ball to shortstop, which was bobbled, allowing both Mullen and Christie to move safely. Alex Libretore followed with a sac fly to center, allowing Christie to move to third. Steve Markus hit a grounder to second, scoring Christie from third, putting the Friars up 2-0 after one inning. After a scoreless top half of the second, Bonner continued its offensive onslaught. Paul Shepherd beat out a ball hit to the shortstop. Pinch runner Mike Moran stole second, and Matt Ruggieri followed with a single to right field. Two batters later, Reigner struck again, this time with a single to right, scoring 2 runs and increasing the lead to 4-0. A scoreless 3rd inning for Father Judge enabled the Bonner bats to keep swinging in the bottom half. Libretore singled up the middle. Steve Markus doubled to left, and Libretore moved to third on the play. Josh Van Horn hit a sac fly to deep center field, scoring Libretore, and moving Markus to third. Shepherd hit a ground ball to short which scored Markus. After a nice running grab by the Judge right fielder Anthony D'Ambrosio ended the frame. When Bonner took a 6-0 lead in the third inning, many fans were thinking this game was over. Bonner was moving on to the next round, and might even ten-run the Crusaders. But Judge didn't quit. In what seemed like a three hour long inning, Judge scored 7 runs to take a 7-6 lead. After cruising the first three innings, Bonner pitcher Ant DiGalbo ran in to trouble. Judge led off the inning with a man on because of an errant throw to first. A walk and a single loaded the bases. A wild pitch allowed Judge to score their first run. After a nice play by Alex Libretore at first base for the first out, Judge singled to center, scoring two. A nother walk, and a single inched the score to 6-4. With the bases loaded again, a three run triple that just beat the diving Matt Mullen in right field put the Crusaders up 7-6. Bonner fought back in their half however. Reigner was hit by a pitch, and stole second. Christie reached on a walk, and Mullen put down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners to second and third. Libretore hit another sac fly to center, allowing Reigner to tag up and score. Christie moved up on a wild pitch. In a shocking play a pitch later, Christie stole home with a lefty at the plate. He scored, and Bonner took an 8-7 lead. This was the turning point of the game. Bonner would tack on another run in the fifth to go up 9-7 heading into the seventh. Junior Jim Bonner, who came in relief of DiGalbo, went out to try and nail the win down for the Friars. Judge was able to score a run in the top half, and threatened to tie the game with a man on second. However a little ground ball back to the mound allowed for an easy play for Bonner, and the Friars earned a hard earned victory. With the win, Bonner moves on to the semifinals, where they'll take on the defending league champion Neumann-Goretti. The Saints defeated Caroll today 11-4 to earn the right to move on. The semifinals will be held at Widener on Friday, May 28th, at 3:30. Bonner looks to dethrone the Saints and get back to the PCL Final for the second time in three years, while N-G tries to continue its road to defend the title. The winner will move on to the finals, also at Widener, where they'll take on the winner of the Wood-Ryan semifinal at LaSalle. This should be a very entertaining game, and one you won't want to miss.