Baseball: Burlington County advances in Carpenter Cup

Bobby Isopi, Brian Lawler, Pedro Perez and Nick Cieri delivered RBI hits in a five-run rally in the seventh inning as Burlington County scored a 12-8 victory over Berks (Pa.) County Tuesday in the first round of the Carpenter Cup Classic baseball tournament.

In a game played in a steady rain at Richie Ashburn Field in FDR Park, Burlington County rallied from a 7-1 deficit to advance to Thursday's second round game against the winner of Wednesday's postponed second game between Delaware (Pa.) County and Philadelphia Public.

Holy Cross senior John Adryan tied the game at 7-7 with a grand slam in the fourth. Adryan also hit an RBI triple and scored in the third.

"My teammates set the table for me," Adryan said.

Cherokee's Colin Perro and Moorestown's Dan Schurer combined to pitch six innings of strong relief for Burlington County.

Perro allowed one run on one hit, while Schurer allowed no runs on three hits.

Down 8-7, Burlngton County scored five runs on five hits in the fifth.

Isopi's single on a 3-2 pitch plated Seneca's Andrew Onorato and tied the score. Lawler, a junior from Shawnee, ripped a 1-2 pitch down the right-field line to chase home Burlington City's Anthony Coniglio and give Burlington County a 9-8 lead.

Moorestown senior Joey Frey drove home another run with a sacrifice fly. Perez, a junior from Burlington City, added an RBI triple and Cieri, a junior from Rancocas Valley, roped a RBI double that hit off the fence just to the left of the 405-foot sign in dead center.

"These guys can play," said Burlington County manager Gary Herron, the head coach at Riverside.

Lenape junior Kevin Milley pitched a scoreless eighth and the game was called after eight full innings because of the rain.

-- Phil Anastasia