Spring-Ford Game of the Week

Due to the holiday, our game of the week segment was pushed back from Friday to today. The regular sports schedule will resume in full on Sunday, April 15.

Baseball Over Pope John Paul II, 13-9

It wasn't the prettiest of games, oh no, not by a long shot. But, with discipline at the plate and solid pitching, the Spring-Ford baseball team got it done and earned last week's Patch Game of the Week honors. They defeated in-town rival Pope John Paul II, 13-9.

The Panthers started out with an early, 2-0, first-inning lead after one was hit out of the park. Spring-Ford came back and tied the game in the fourth inning, in what was a very quick first-half. Thing slowed down a bit once the bottom of the fourth hit.

JPII drove in three more runs, putting the Rams in a scary 5-2 defecit. In the top of the fifth, everything turned around for Bruce Brobst's boys.

Singles by Tyler Shronk and Angelo Kelly led the inning, which led to JPII to change pitchers. Then, Richie Michaud laid down the bunt that loaded the bases with no outs, and began the comeback. Shronk and Kelly scored when the next two batters were walked. Another pitching change was upon us, and the boys were ready for the opportunity to take advantage of the Panthers' plight.

"When they did that, our guys became very disciplined at the plate," said Brobst. "They were looking for something good to hit, pitcher struggled with the strike zone, and we were just very patient, waiting for something to hit. When we got a chance to hit the ball, we hit the ball. If the pitcher didn't put it over the plate, we weren't chasing it. So it was good for our guys to have good at-bats."

The boys went on to score eight runs in the inning, extending the score to 10-5 in their favor. The entire lineup saw the plate that inning until Tom Grablewski struck out to retire the side.

"We are working on having good at-bats," Brobst said. "We're working on that, getting the good pitch to hit, being selective and not making ourselves out. They did an excellent job of either working a walk or getting an excellent swing. We had a lot of good results, a lot of key hits when we had an opportunity."

However, in the bottom of the frame, the Panthers didn't give up. They scored another four by the end of the inning.

"They're certianly trying to win baseball games," Brobst said. "They fought back once they were down. They could easily be demoralized, but they fought back. We helped them out a little bit and they put themselves right back in the ballgame. We scored however many runs that inning and they made it a ballgame right after that, so good for them."

Pitcher Tyler Eckman left the mound in the beginning of that inning, but ended up recording the win. He pitched four innings, let up eight hits, seven earned runs, a homerun and two walks. He struck out one. Junior Hank Coyne came in, but was taken out after only three batters.

Krystian Deluzio came in for relief and picked up the "three-inning save." Deluzio pitched three innings, and struck out his first two batters. He only let up one hit and walked two.

"Tyler was real good for most of the game," Brobst said. "He seemed to tire a little bit in the fourth and fifth. They put some runs on him. Krystian came in and settled things down. That was real big. He got two big strikeouts when he first came in and put some order to things."

The Panthers never scored again after the bottom of the fifth. The Rams would end up adding three more to the board before it was all said and done. That victory brought Spring-Ford back over .500, honing a 3-2 record.

Boys Lacrosse: Kevin Donnelly Gets 100th Win with Program

They had a chance... A chance that was squandered on Friday night by non-league rival Avon Grove. Then they had a second chance, and the Spring-Ford Boys Lacrosse team took advantage of it - giving their head coach, Kevin Donnelly, his 100th career win at Spring-Ford High School.

The game was against PAC-10 rival Owen J. Roberts. The boys won it 14-10 when the smoke cleared. Leading in points was senior leader Zach Monzo, with five. In assists, junior leader Paul Major led with two. Goalie Matt Messerle had 10 saves in the contest.

For more on this game, please click .

Softball Takes Down Perkiomen Valley in Come-from-Behind Victory

It was a tough one, but the softball girls did a fine job against PAC-10 rival Perkiomen Valley on Wednesday evening, defeating them 8-5.

The game started out with the Vikings leading the Rams, 5-2, halfway through. But, in the fifth inning, the girls rose to the occasion, scoring four and taking the one-run lead. They scored two more in the sixth and didn't allow the Vikings to score again.

Marisha Bates had two home runs in the game, driving in five RBIs. Haleigh Williams pitched all seven innings, allowing three earned runs, eight hits, and two walks. She struck out five.