Al's Tales, Baseball 2007

MAY 15
CATHOLIC LEAGUE

North 12, Ryan 6
After smoking the Falcons and clinching first place with yesterday’s opener, I figured Ryan would start out hot. And I was right…sort of. In the bottom of the first, Andrew Lacovara led off with a bunt single, followed by another from Seth Magagna. A John Ross single loaded the bases with one out and Nick Ferdinand drove one in on a groundout. Mike Kovacs then hit a chopper over 3rd base that drove in two more to give the Raiders an early lead, like they always get. After that, things fell apart. Through the next 6 innings North lit up the scoreboard on Jim Edelman, scoring 12 runs on a cluster of singles, a double, a couple of triples, as well as sac-flys and steals. North was just smoking the ball today. Edelman was relieved by RHP Kevin Reiber in the top of the 5th with the bases loaded. The Raiders wouldn’t get on the board again until the 6th, when most of Ryan’s starters had been replaced. A Kevin McGovern single. A Jerry Smith…home run! A two-run homer to left by sophomore Jerry Smith gave the Raiders some life. Kevin “Saus” Bryan and Anthony Keiter would both single and Bryan would score when Jon Schmidt reached on an error. North would get two more in the top of the 7th to put a nail in this looooong and dreary game. Since Ryan clinched 1st, they won’t play again until the semi-finals, so I’ll see you then.
Player of the Game: Ehhh...I couldn’t possibly leave this section blank could I? I guess I’ll give it to Jerry Smith for his home run. A nice bench player who contributed all year showed good power potential.

Shoutouts: Plenty of students and parents at this one but big ups to the Archbishop Ryan Senior Girls for beating the Junior Girls in our annual “Powder Puff Football Game”. Way to go!

MAY 7
CATHOLIC LEAGUE

Ryan 5, Judge 4

The Raiders edged the Father Judge Crusaders in the first of this three-game series. Jim Edelman of Ryan and Ryan Kreider of Judge faced off in this battle for supremacy in the Northeast. In the bottom of the 2nd, C Mike Kovacs led off for the Raiders with a double to right-center. Devin Weiss ousted a fly ball into right that was caught but moved courtesy runner Jon Schmidt up to third. RF Rob McArdle then smoked a single past the diving Judge shortstop into leftfield for an RBI. After a stolen base and another fly out to right, McArdle stood at third with 2 outs. This brought up leadoff man Andrew Lacovara, who blooped a RBI double into right just under the glove of the diving rightfielder, who was extremely active all game. 2B Seth Magagna would single to left-center, scoring Lac. Pick it up in the bottom of the 5th with the score 3-0. Ryan had 2 on and 2 out when junior SS Nick Ferdinand earned an RBI on an error. Now in the top of the 6th, the Crusaders led off with a triple to center, followed by a bad bounce over Ferdinand’s head that finally put Judge on the board. After another single, Ryan then turned a Taylor-made 6-4-3 double play to end the inning and the Father Judge threat. After pitching well all afternoon, Jim Edelman then began to decay. In the top of the 7th, Judge led off with a single up the middle. An error then left runners at 1st and 2nd, followed by a double to center that scored a run, and another which was thrown out at the plate. A groundout then advanced the runner to 3rd with two outs. A walk and then a double to right by Andrew McHale tied the game at 4; McHale was hurt on the play. Kevin McGovern came on to relieve Edelman, and got the next guy to fly out to right. John Ross singled up the middle with out. After a groundout to 1st, Kovacs was hit by a pitch. Runners on first and second with two outs for senior 3B Devin Weiss. Weiss hit a routine groundball to the second basemen. The second basemen then flipped to the covering shortstop for the out at second base but the ball sailed over the shortstops head in transition to the bag. John Ross was off at the crack of the bat and ended up scoring the winning run in unusual fashion in a very entertaining game. This game really set the bar high for the final two games of this series.
Player of the Game: John Ross. 2-4 at the dish. Scored the winning run and was gang tackled by his Ryan teammates

Shoutouts: Eric Dethloff, Pat Del Vecchio, Mike Santini, Jim Lavelle, Jason Sheck, Joe McKeown, Matt Wysz, Anthony Corso.

APRIL 23
CATHOLIC LEAGUE

Ryan 3, Conwell-Egan 0
It finally feels like spring! First off, many thanks to all of the parents and fans that showed up. We got a nice crowed behind Ryan HS on a beautiful day for a…pitcher’s duel. A lefty-lefty matchup as Kevin McGovern went up against Egan’s Kevin Cahill. But it wasn’t all the pitchers in this one, as there were many worthy web gems by both teams. We pick it up in the top of the 1st when none other than Andrew Lacovara singled back up the middle. Fellow junior Brandon Green, who was the designated hitter for RF Rob McArdle, laid a finicky bunt down the first base line and beat it out on a questionable error vs. hit call. After a passed ball advanced the runners, shortstop Nick Ferdinand sent a sac fly deep to left scoring Lac. An interesting strategy by Coach Ron Gerhart, batting the Bensalem trio of Lac, BG, and Ferd 1, 2 and 3, respectively, but, hey, I like it. After a McGovern groundout, Egan SS John McDonald made an outstanding play in the hole but couldn’t get the hustling Mike Kovacs. Move to the top of the 2nd where a walk and an error landed an Egan runner at 2nd. The runner then took off after a single to right and RF Rob McArdle came up throwing. A dead-on throw absolutely nailed the runner at the plate. A beautiful throw by McArdle and an equally good block by Mike Kovacs left his battery mate McGovern ecstatic about holding his 2-0 lead. Kevin Cahill of Egan would retire 6 straight and in the bottom of the 4th got some help from his right fielder on a tough ball in foul territory with a diving catch. In the top of the 5th, Andrew Lacovara would make a sliding catch in center followed by 2B Seth Magagna’s second stunning/diving catch of the game. The Raiders wouldn’t light up the scoreboard again until the bottom of the 6th, where John Ross started things off with a single to right. After a stolen base, Magagna poked a ball to left, which was dropped, letting Ross score and giving McGovern a little breathing room.
Player of the Game: Seth Magagna for his outstanding defensive performance and Nick Ferdinand for hitting two shots, although foul balls, over the left field fence. Each player had an RBI as well.

Shoutouts: The list could go on and on with all of the Ryan faithful who showed up. Taylor Cave, Tom Peterman, Matt Pepe, Jim Weitzel, Erik Silenok, Tim Kelly, Bill Allison, and so on. But nice appearances by Ryan Baseball alums, Pat DelVecchio and Chris Dolan. Both looked antsy to get back into their Ryan pinstripes.

APRIL 11
CATHOLIC LEAGUE

Ryan 7, McDevitt 0

Another cold one today behind Archbishop Ryan High as the Raiders came in looking for the sweep of McDevitt. Ryan took the first two games last week, and sent Devin Weiss to the hill for the make-up game. Leadoff man Andrew Lacovara started off the bottom of the 1st with a walk, followed by right fielder Rob McArdle’s single up the middle. After a passed ball that advanced the runners, first baseman Kevin McGovern roped a bases-clearing double into left. He was then thrown out at the plate on a nice relay after designated hitter John Ross’s double. Ross then took off for third but a throwing error by the McDevitt catcher brought Ross in to score. Devin Weiss really looked good on the mound. After giving up a single, he struck out two and got the next batter to ground out to shortstop Nick Ferdinand, who flipped to second basemen Seth Magagna to end the inning. Weiss then sat down all three McDevitt players in a 1-2-3 strikeout inning in the top half of the 3rd. A scary situation occurred in the top of the 4th when Anthony Covely threw a little wide of Kev McGovern. McGovern had an outstanding stretch and hold on first but sent the McDevitt runner airborne. Fortunately both players were okay and remained in the game. Weiss also fanned two more in that inning. Ryan had a chance to expand their lead in the bottom of the 4th when Seth Magagna looped a ball into right, and on a great hustle play, ended up at second with a double. Catcher Mike Kovacs then singled to center, but the rally came to an end after a shallow fly ball to left and a ground out to the pitcher. In the top of the 5th, McDevitt was threatening after a single and a passed ball landed a man on second with no outs. Weiss quickly shot down that threat with 2 more K’s and a terrific play by Nick Ferdinand from deep in the hole at short. Lac led off the 5th with a beautiful bunt down the 3rd base line that just dribbled foul at the last second. But he came back and fired a single back up the middle. After two groundouts, one a fielder’s choice, DH John Ross took a pitch square to his back. Of course, he ate it, but nevertheless Nick Ferdinand singled to left, scoring Lacovara. In the 6th spot, Magagna then stepped up with a RBI opportunity but this was taken away by the McDevitt second basemen on a nice play in shallow right, ending the inning. In the bottom of the 6th, Mike Kovacs led off with a single up the middle. Pinch hitter Brandon Green stepped in for Covely and smacked a double into right center, leaving runners at 2nd and 3rd. Another pinch hitter, Jerry Smith, then grounded to the pitcher, who overthrew the first baseman, leaving him at second, with 2 runs scoring. Lac then came up and slammed a triple right center, scoring Smith.
Player of the Game: Devin Weiss. Easy pick. Complete game, 3 hit (all singles) shutout. Fanned 11 and walked none.

Shoutouts: The Ryan boys Lacrosse team. Defeated Conwell-Egan 12-1. Also Mr. Jann for making a nice appearance, and Tim Kelly and Bill Allison for stopping by.

APRIL 10
CATHOLIC LEAGUE

Ryan 6, La Salle 2

On this chilly afternoon dipping under 50 degrees, Ryan took the field facing the LaSalle Explorers for the 2nd of their 3-game series. The Raiders defeated the Explorers, 6-1, and look to continue on this undefeated season. Things got off to a rocky start for Ryan sr. lefty Kevin McGovern as he got into trouble in the top of the 1st. Before he knew it, he found himself with the bases loaded and no outs. After he walked in a run, he sandwiched a sac fly to left with a couple of strikeouts and got out of the inning. McGovern would eventually settle down. He had 2 pickoffs and sr. C Mike Kovacs added a third. The Raiders didn’t get their first base runner until the 3rd when Anthony Keiter walked out of the No. 8 hole. Keiter played adequately at third base for the resting Devin Weiss. But Ryan finally got the bats going in the 4th when McGovern helped himself with a single to right, followed by a John Ross triple that brought McGovern in. Nick Ferdinand then notched a sacrifice fly that scored Ross and tied the game at 2. The bottom of the 5th just got sloppy for the Explorers as Kovacs led off with a single up the middle, followed by a Keiter sac bunt that was overthrown by the pitcher sending himself to second and courtesy runner and yesterday’s winning pitcher, Jim Edelman, to third. Leftfielder Mike Siravo then grounded to second but the ball was dropped by the La Salle first basemen, scoring Edelman. Andrew Lacovara then sent an absolute bullet back off the pitcher's upper body, leaving Lac safe at first and bringing Keiter in to score. After Siravo stole third, Rob McArdle singled to left, letting two more runs score as the ball went through the leftfielder's legs. This rally ended, leading to the top of the 6th where McGovern got a huge break when Mike Siravo made an outstanding diving catch with the bases loaded to end the inning and the Explorers' threat.
Player of the Game: Kev McGovern -- Complete game, 7 K’s, 6 hits, a couple of pick-offs and he was pretty much lights out after the first. Also 1-3 at the dish with a single.

Shoutouts: Ted Silary himself made a guest appearance. Dan Henry & Andrew “Chief” Mulyadi also stopped by. And Assistant Principal Mr. Morris.