Neumann-Goretti repeats as Catholic League baseball champion
The Saints recovered from a shaky start to beat Archbishop Wood
Maybe Jared Healey's impressive mettle comes from growing up in the blue-collar neighborhood of Bridesburg.
The senior has been a steadying force at shortstop the last two seasons for Neumann-Goretti, providing rock-solid defense and making clutch contributions at the plate.
Healey, a captain and four-year varsity member, came through again for the Saints in the Catholic League final Saturday afternoon against Archbishop Wood at Immaculata University.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder went 3 for 3 and scored two runs as Neumann-Goretti overcame an early deficit and topped the Vikings, 6-4, for the Saints' second straight crown and sixth in the last nine years.
"The Catholic League is so competitive," Healey said. "You have to have a strong-willed team to win. We battle and stick together no matter the situation."
Healey, an erstwhile basketball player who is bound for Chestnut Hill College, was voted the league's defensive player of the year. He committed only two errors in 12 regular-season league games.
"He's been outstanding for us," Neumann-Goretti first-year coach Mike Zolk said. "I can't say enough about him. One of the biggest things I like about him is how he works to make his teammates better."
Senior lefthander Phil Sanborn, who did not throw one varsity pitch before this season, yielded six hits and struck out four while going the distance.
Before junior righthander Joe LaFiora suffered a season-ending arm injury early in the season, Zolk expected to use Sanborn mostly as a reliever.
"He's a kid who mixes his pitches well and competes his tail off," said Zolk, who was a stalwart infielder for Neumann-Goretti's 2011 league title squad.
Sanborn mixed a two-seam fastball, change-up, and curveball against Wood. He threw 97 pitches, with 69 for strikes.
Of Healey, Sanborn, who lives near Second and South Streets, said, "Every time the ball is hit his way, I know he's going to make the play."
A pair of Neumann-Goretti errors allowed Wood to grab a 3-0 advantage in the first inning. But the Saints (17-4) registered four hits, including Brian Reynolds' two-run single to right field, to even things in the bottom half.
After Wood (15-7-1) gained a 4-3 edge in the third, the game was halted for nearly 30 minutes because of a scary injury to Vikings catcher J.R. Gifford.
One of Jack Colyar's pitches bounced off the dirt and struck Gifford in the neck, causing him to become dizzy and eventually collapse. The junior had to be placed on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to Paoli Hospital.
Gifford's exit was immediately followed by two wild pitches, allowing Healey (single) and R.J. McGettigan (walk) to score and give Neumann-Goretti the lead for good.
Gifford said later said that he underwent a CT scan and angiogram, and was cleared to leave Paoli about 5:30 p.m.
Archbishop Wood 301 000 0 - 4 6 0
Neumann-Goretti 302 100 x - 6 7 2
WP: Phil Sanborn. LP: Jack Colyar. 2B: AW-Antonio Rossillo; NG-Jared Healey.
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