Holy Ghost Prep rolls past Sun Valley for district baseball title
The Holy Ghost Prep baseball team has a healthy list of Division I-bound seniors. Tim Brennan (St. Joseph's recruit), Luke Duris (Villanova), Nick Payesko (Rider), and Ryan Malloy (Lehigh) have all committed to play at that level.
The Holy Ghost Prep baseball team has a healthy list of Division I-bound seniors.
Tim Brennan (St. Joseph's recruit), Luke Duris (Villanova), Nick Payesko (Rider), and Ryan Malloy (Lehigh) have all committed to play at that level.
And then there's Chris Pawluczyk. While the 6-foot, 190-pounder is a steady backstop for the Firebirds and nicely handles a talented pitching staff, he plans to focus on his studies at Pittsburgh.
The sometimes overlooked Pawluczyk went 3 for 3 with three RBIs from the No. 9 hole as the Firebirds crushed Sun Valley, 12-1, in five innings Wednesday afternoon to earn their second PIAA District 1 Class AAA title in three seasons.
"We don't have a captain, but he'd be one of the top candidates," Holy Ghost coach Keith Smeraglio said. "The kid is so tough. He gets banged up and hit all over the place, but he never says a word. He's a coach's dream."
Lightning and rain delayed the contest at Spring-Ford's Ram Stadium for 1 hour, 41 minutes.
Pawluczyk, a first-year starter from Newtown, produced an RBI single to right-center field in a five-run second and RBI doubles to deep left in a three-run third and four-run fourth.
"I like it," Pawluczyk said of hitting at the bottom of the order. "You get a lot of fastballs down there. You try to make the most of it."
Holy Ghost, which has tallied 26 runs in its last two outings, claimed its fifth district crown. It also triumphed in Class AAA in 2003 and 2013, and in AA in 1985 and 1990.
The Firebirds (19-3) also gained redemption for last season's disappointing postseason showing. They were ousted by eventual state champion Pope John Paul II in the district semifinals.
"With so many returning seniors, everyone felt we needed to come out this year and get it done," said Pawluczyk, who plans to study business at Pitt.
Brennan (4-1) held the Vanguards (10-12) to four singles in as many innings. The tall and lean righthander fired 53 pitches, with 37 for strikes, before giving way to Nolan Jones.
Only four of the 10 runs allowed by Sun Valley starter C.J. Pruitt, a La Salle recruit who allowed six hits and four walks in three frames, were earned.
After Pruitt (6-3) walked the first two batters in the fourth, Malloy (2 for 3) welcomed reliever Dave Montella with an RBI double over the third-base bag. Duris (two runs) followed with an RBI fielder's choice grounder.
Sun Valley 100 00 - 1 4 2
Holy Ghost Prep 053 4x - 12 9 0
WP: Tim Brennan. LP: C.J. Pruitt. 2B: HGP-Chris Pawluczyk 2, Brennan, Ryan Malloy.
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