OJR’s Ponto picks St. Joe’s over Penn, Villanova

Tim Ponto, a senior righthanded pitcher for Owen J. Roberts, plans to sign a baseball scholarship with St. Joseph's University on Friday at the Bucktown school.

Last season, Ponto went 9-3 with a 2.10 ERA while helping lead the Wildcats to a 25-5 record, second place in the PIAA Class AAAA state tournament, and the area's No. 3 ranking.

Ponto, a first-team all-Pioneer Athletic Conference selection, chose the Hawks over fellow locals Penn and Villanova.

Here are some other local baseball players who have made commitments to Division I colleges: Andrew Amaro, Penn Charter, Maryland; Jeff Courter, Archbishop Wood, Villanova; Ryan Filipowicz, Holy Ghost Prep, Holy Cross; Matt Hollenbeck, Hatboro-Horsham, Georgetown; Kyle McCrossen, Archbishop Wood, Temple; Dave McInerney, Upper Moreland, Cincinnati; Aaron Novak, Germantown Academy, Penn State; Chris O'Brien, Malvern Prep, North Carolina; Ryan Pater, Central Bucks East, St. Joseph's; Justin Thomas, Council Rock South, Rider; Greg Guers, Germantown Academy, South Carolina Upstate; Ryan Hartley, Council Rock North, Delaware; Darren Lauer, Council Rock North, Elon; Pat O'Leary, Council Rock North, Winthrop; Joe Lubanski, Malvern Prep, Yale; Matt Ternowchek, Downingtown East, Notre Dame; Connor Walsh, Radnor, Cincinnati; and Ray Toto, St. Joseph's Prep, George Mason.