THINKS THE EAGLES STOLE ONE
By Rick O’Brien
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
According to a source, Bethlehem Liberty football standout Anthony Gonzalez has orally committed to play for Pittsburgh.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Gonzalez, a dual-threat quarterback and rugged defensive back, had also considered Florida State, Penn State, Oregon, Illinois and Missouri.
Last year, while leading the Hurricanes to a 15-1 record and the PIAA Class AAAA state championship, Gonzalez rushed for 1,697 yards and 24 touchdowns. He completed 114 of 206 passes for 1,570 yards and 12 scores.
Contact staff writer Rick O’Brien at 610-313-8019 or robrien@phillynews.com.
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ALTOONA -- Another stellar effort from ace righthander Eric Ruth. Error-free defense, including a key 6-3-5 double play in the fourth. A 2-for-3 showing from No. 9 batter Mark Grassie. It all added up to a 3-1 victory for North Penn in th the PIAA Class AAAA final at Blair County Ballpark, home of the double-A Altoona Curve.
Leadoff man Robbie Zinsmeister (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) went 2 for 4 (RBI double in fifth) and two runs scored. No. 2 Just Davey (West Chester, 2 for 3) had an RBI triple in the seventh. No. 3 Scott Christy (Alvernia) had an RBI single to right in the fifth. Christian Radick and DH Craig Lepre had the other hits.
The Knights became the first District 1 team to win a large-school title since West Chester East, this year's district champ, beat Bethel Park in 2003.
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It was a mixed bag for the 2 area baseball teams (out of 7) that played in the PIAA state baseball playoffs today. Both at the AAA level, District 12 champ Neumann-Goretti knocked off Twin Valley, 1-0, and District 1 titlist Upper Merion fell to Abington Heights, 6-1. Here are tomorrow’s rescheduled games:
Class AAAA
North Penn vs. Council Rock North, at Spring-Ford High, 3 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Prep vs. West Chester East, at Glen Mills Schools, 4 p.m.
Class AA
New Hope-Solebury vs. Brandywine Heights, Sammy Balliet Stadium in Coplay, 2:30 p.m.
Neumann-Goretti needed only two hits to knock off Twin Valley. The Saints were blessed to have Mark Donato, a 6-foot, 205-pound junior southpaw, on the hill. He struck out 11 and yielded only two hits in a complete-game effort. He threw 95 pitches, 58 for strikes. On this overcast day, that was enough to earn his team a semifinal meeting with Abington Heights on Monday at a site and time to be determined.
N-G’s two hits, both singles, were provided by CF Dom Riverso (second inning) and LF Reno Regalbuto (third). It scored an unearned run in the third. The sequence: SS Marty Venafro led off and reached base on a fielding error by TV’s 3B. DH Nicky Nardini grounded out to first base, moving Venafro to second. Regalbuto dropped down a bunt that died to the right of pitcher Eric Greedy, who slipped while making the scoop. It would have been a tough out anyway. Venafro to third. With 3B Al Baur batting, Regalbuto successfully stole second. On the throw from the catcher, which was well off the bag, Venafro hurried home. The Raiders argued that SS Jesse May had made the tag, but a conference between the 2B and 1B umpire resulted in no change. NG 1, TV 0. That’s how it ended.
Here is N-G’s box:
AB R H RBI
Regalbuto, LF 2 0 1 0
Baur, 3B 3 0 0 0
Donato, P 3 0 0 0
Rodriguez, PR 0 0 0 0
Armata, C 3 0 0 0
M. Riverso, 1B 1 0 0 0
D. Riverso, CF 2 0 1 0
Fulginiti, 2B 2 0 0 0
Venafro, SS 2 1 0 0
Nardini, DH 2 0 0 0
Snyder, RF 0 0 0 0
IP H R ER BB SO
Twin Valley
Geedey (L) 6 2 1 0 1 3
Neumann-Gor.
Donato (W) 7 2 0 0 2 11
-- Rick O'Brien
-- Keith Pompey
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