Haley heads all-area baseball team

A slick-fielding shortstop and solid, righthanded contact hitter, Haley spurred the Friars to a 17-6 overall record and, with a 12-0 mark, the Catholic League Blue Division's regular-season championship. From the No. 3 spot in the batting order, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior batted .459 with 27 runs, 26 RBIs, 8 doubles, 4 triples, and 2 home runs. He had a .757 slugging percentage and .533 on-base percentage.

Haley, a Penn State recruit, was voted the Blue Division's most valuable player by league coaches. In a 12-9 home win over division rival Archbishop Wood, he slammed a three-run home run to left-center field.

The Drexel Hill resident was a prospect in Major League Baseball's first-year player draft, with the Kansas City Royals showing considerable interest, but was not selected. That will benefit the Nittany Lions for at least the next three seasons.

Haley also starred as a quarterback and defensive back in football, last fall earning Inquirer third-team all-Southeastern Pennsylvania honors on defense. He is one of Dan and Rose Haley's 10 children (including nine boys). Brothers Dan (third baseman), Ryan (pitcher), Mike (second), and Joe (outfielder and pitcher) also played baseball for the Friars. The elder Dan Haley quarterbacked Bonner's football squad.

A senior righthander and North Carolina recruit, Bogucki went 5-2 with a 1.93 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 58 innings in leading the Bears to the Pioneer Athletic Conference crown. He was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 31st round of Major League Baseball's first-year player draft, but is expected to play for the Tar Heels.

Maher was a lights-out hurler in three complete-game playoff victories, allowing no runs and 11 hits. He fired a four-hitter in a state-semifinal shutout of Pennridge. Overall, the senior righthander was 9-1 with a 1.68 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 662/3 innings. He will pitch for Elizabethtown.

It was a breakthrough year for the senior righthander. Voted the Catholic League Red Division's most valuable player, the Penn State-bound pitcher went 8-3 with a 2.37 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 62 innings. He fired a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in a 7-0 win at Father Judge.

Batting cleanup for the Vikings, Santospago hit .451 with 27 RBIs, 24 runs, 7 doubles, 3 home runs, a .704 slugging percentage, and a .524 on-base percentage. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound senior was a first-team all-Catholic League Blue Division pick. He will continue his career at Kent State.

Moving from third base to shortstop, Poduslenko sparked the Friars to their third straight Inter-Ac League championship. The senior, ticketed for Seton Hall, batted .381 with 54 runs and 40 RBIs from the leadoff spot. He was voted the Inter-Ac's most valuable player.

Helping the Explorers earn their first Catholic League title since 2005, the junior shortstop-pitcher batted .367 with 17 RBIs and seven doubles. As a righthander, he went 10-3 with a 2.29 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 67 innings. He was a first-team all-Red Division selection as a pitcher.

The rising junior shortstop was the top hitter in the Pioneer Athletic Conference. Bleming, a quarterback in football, batted .566 with 17 RBIs and 16 runs for the Golden Panthers. He is receiving considerable interest from Ivy and Patriot League programs.

Kirkpatrick, a senior centerfielder and leadoff man, helped the Warriors go 17-7 and advance to the District 1 Class AAAA quarterfinals. The Marist recruit batted .437 with 32 runs, 32 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, 7 home runs, 4 triples, and 4 doubles. He had an .850 slugging percentage.

A senior centerfielder and pitcher, Andrews propelled the Redskins to the Suburban One League National Conference title. The Monmouth signee hit .464 with 20 runs and 12 RBIs. On the hill, he was 8-1 with a 1.88 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 481/3 innings.

In helping the Warriors claim the Ches-Mont League National Conference title, the senior centerfielder and pitcher batted .431 with 18 RBIs, 18 runs, 4 doubles, and 4 home runs. He had a .560 on-base percentage. On the mound, he went 8-2 with a 1.11 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 57 innings.

The slugging senior backstop hit .455 with 25 RBIs from the No. 3 spot in the batting order. He also did a solid job of handling a pitching staff that was headed by ace lefthander Brian Brown. Kennedy, a first-team all-Ches-Mont League National Conference choice, will play at Shippensburg.

Brown, a junior lefthander who has committed to Duke, went 9-0 with a 0.31 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 681/3 innings and helped the Red Raiders to their first District 1 Class AAAA title since 2006. Also a first baseman, he batted .246 with seven RBIs from the No. 7 position in the order.

With his arm and bat, the senior led the Cougars to their third straight District 1 Class A title. On the mound, the righthander went 7-2 with 135 strikeouts in 68 innings. Also an outfielder, Scheuer hit .429 with 26 RBIs and 17 runs. He is ticketed for Palm Beach Atlantic in Florida.