First state gold for Pope John Paul II

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Lack of familiarity was not an issue for Harriton and Pope John Paul II when the teams squared off in Friday night's PIAA Class AAA baseball final.

The Rams and Golden Panthers met two weeks ago in the District 1 final, with Pope John Paul, aided by a costly error, gaining a one-run victory.

In the rematch at Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, the Golden Panthers benefited from three errors and claimed their first state championship with a 4-2 triumph over Harriton.

In the sixth inning of a game that did not start until 9:42 p.m. - because of rain and two prior games that went to extra innings - Luke DeLeo drove in the winning run with a triple to right field and also scored, courtesy of an error, on the play. The Harriton fielder slipped on the wet grass, and the ball sailed over his head.

Pope John Paul starter Josh Lafferty, a senior righthander ticketed to Widener, allowed three hits in 42/3 innings. He threw 61 pitches, with 36 strikes, before giving way to lefty submariner Dan Zurowski.

Harriton made it 2-2 in the sixth. With the bases loaded and two out, shortstop Jesse Bregman was plunked by a pitch. But the chance to go ahead was squandered when Jake Rosenberg was easily tagged out while trying to steal home.

In the fifth, with Bregman (2 for 2) on third base and two out, Zurowski, a top-notch closer all season, escaped with a strikeout.

The Golden Panthers (23-6) went in front, 2-1, in the third inning. DeLeo (2 for 3) scored on an errant throw home after Kyle Miller's single to center field, and Miller came around on James Bleming's single to left.

Bleming, a strong-armed senior shortstop bound for Lehigh, also singled in the first. A point guard in basketball and an erstwhile quarterback in football, he hit better than .400 from the No. 3 spot in the order this season.

The Rams (17-8) had gained a 1-0 advantage in the third. Jimmy Bredt's two-out, single to right scored Grayson Anderson. Anderson reached base on a fielder's choice grounder and advanced to second on Steve Siciliano's groundout to shortstop.

With senior righthander Corey Neel serving as a workhorse, Harriton advanced to the state final by knocking off District 3 champ Northern York (9-8 score), District 7 runner-up Blackhawk (4-3), and District 10 titlist Erie Cathedral Prep (5-2).

Pope John Paul II, a fourth-year program, reached State College by beating District 3's West Perry (3-1) and Northeastern (4-1), and District 11 champ Tamaqua (4-3).

Harriton 001 001 0 - 2 5 3

Pope John Paul II 002 002 x - 4 6 0

WP: Dan Zurowski. LP: Corey Neel. 3B: PJP-Luke DeLeo.