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Eustace routs Audubon for Ralph Shaw Classic baseball title

Kevin Lammers liked the open spaces in the outfield of the Audubon High School baseball complex. He liked the fast track on the base paths, too.

Kevin Lammers liked the open spaces in the outfield of the Audubon High School baseball complex. He liked the fast track on the base paths, too.

Lammers showed his blazing speed in the field and on the bases Sunday in sparking Bishop Eustace to a 10-1 victory over Audubon in the championship game of the 20th annual Ralph Shaw Classic baseball tournament.

Lammers, a junior centerfielder, made a pair of running catches and rapped two hits, including a three-run triple, before a large crowd on a warm, sunny afternoon at Audubon's Hank Greenberg Field.

"He's a great athlete," Bishop Eustace coach Sam Tropiano said of Lammers, who also is a running back for the Crusaders' football team.

Senior righthander Justin Hagenman pitched a two-hitter and senior shortstop Chris Jones drove in a run with his 100th career hit for Bishop Eustace (6-0), which took over the No. 1 spot in The Inquirer Top 10.

Sophomore righthander Dan Wilson was the hard-luck losing pitcher for No. 10 Audubon (3-1). Wilson worked six innings and allowed just one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts.

"I like the way he went right at them," Audubon coach Rich Horan said of Wilson. "This was a big game against a great team and he went after them."

Said Tropiano of Wilson: "He's going to be a good one."

Much of the game was a taut pitcher's duel between Hagenman and Wilson. Hagenman allowed a leadoff double to senior Mike Tole, who came around to score on an RBI ground out by Mic Mannion.

Hagenman allowed just one hit, an infield single, the rest of the game. He struck out three with zero walks.

"He lived at the knees," Tropiano said of Hagenman.

Lammers made a running catch for the third out in the first and tracked down another well-hit ball for the first out in the sixth.

"You get to run around a little," Lammers said of Audubon's roomy outfield, which contrasts with the notoriously tight quarters at Bishop Eustace's home field.

Lammers came to the plate with the bases loaded and Bishop Eustace holding a 2-1 lead in the sixth.

"He's a gritty kid," Tropiano said. "He had a tough at-bat [in the second] and he hung in there. That was pure grit."

Lammers rapped a drive down the right-field line. Audubon rightfielder Matt Connelly tried to make a diving catch, but the ball bounced to the fence.

Lammers raced around the bases. He slammed on the brakes when Tropiano put the stop sign up at third, although the coach nearly sent the speedy athlete home in pursuit of one of the rarest of hits - an inside-the-park grand slam.

"Audubon threw one guy out at home from the outfield, so it probably was good," Lammers said.

In the top of the seventh, Lammers knocked in another run with a single to finish with four RBIs.

"The big thing with this team is the support we all get from the seniors," Lammers said. "You can hear it in the dugout, guys always picking guys up. These guys don't let you get down. That support keeps us going."

Bishop Eustace 001 004 5 - 10 9 2

Audubon 100 000 0 - 1 2 1

WP: Justin Hagenman. LP: Dan Wilson.

2B: BE-Steve DeBellis, Justin Hagenman; A-Mike Tole. 3B: BE-Kevin Lammers.