Lisa ignites Moorestown victory

There are two times that matter most for leadoff hitters and seniors: Early in the game and late in the season.

Andrew Lisa is making the best of both.

Lisa reached base five times and scored three runs Wednesday to spark Moorestown to a 15-7 victory over Winslow Township in the first round of the South Jersey Group 3 baseball tournament.

Lisa, a senior shortstop, also collected three hits and two RBIs as third-seeded Moorestown (15-6) won for the 12th time in 13 games and advanced to face sixth-seeded Ocean City in Friday's second round.

Nick Savino and Joey Frey each drove in three runs and Tyler Kaiser scored three runs and delivered a two-out, two-run double to highlight a seven-run first inning for the Quakers.

Collin Schaffhauser drove in four runs and Jon Gonzales was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and his 13th double for 14th-seeded Winslow Township (10-14).

"Our young kids didn't quit," Winslow Township coach Keith Regn said. "But you can't give a good team like Moorestown that many chances. They're going to take advantage."

Lisa singled twice in the first inning, scoring once and driving in the last two runs in the rally. He also singled and scored in the sixth inning, and walked and scored in the seventh.

"I'm just trying to get it started for us," said Lisa, a quarterback who plans to play football at the University of Pennsylvania.

"We've got so many good hitters up and down the lineup, I just want to get on base and try to make something happen."

The Quakers rapped 12 hits but also took advantage of 12 walks. Three players walked with the bases loaded in the first inning.

Down by 8-0, Winslow Township rallied with six runs in the fifth as Gonzales hit a two-run double and Schaffhauser cleared the bases with a three-run double.

But Moorestown answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Kaiser walked, Lisa singled, and Chance Embler walked to load the bases. Frey walked to drive in a run, and Savino delivered a two-run single.

"We're manufacturing runs," Lisa said. "Guys are getting on base, and guys are coming through with big hits."

Moorestown, which entered the season with high expectations, was 3-5 on April 19.

But the Quakers have been one of South Jersey's hottest teams for the last five weeks, earning victories over opponents such as Hammonton, Sterling, Burlington Township, and Holy Cross.

"We went through some adversity," Moorestown coach Bill Donoghue said. "The analogy I use is that I could either abandon ship, or stay the course. I stayed the course, and the kids didn't panic. They believe in themselves.

"Everything we've done has been building toward this time of the season."

Lisa said the senior-heavy Quakers are determined to make the most of the final segment of the season.

"We've got a lot of seniors and we said, 'We've got something like six games left in our high school careers,' " Lisa said. "We have to play every game like it's our last because if we lose, it will be our last."

Winslow Twp.   0000601 - 7 11 2

Moorestown   700134x - 15 12 0

WP: Tim Miller. LP: Darnell Maisonet. 2B: W-Collin Schaffhauser, Jon Gonzales; M-Tyler Kaiser, Jon Michnick.