Henry taking advantage of belated chance for Bonner & Prendie
UPPER DARBY — Bryan Henry spent three years working his way up the Bonner & Prendergast baseball ladder.
The 6-foot-6, 240-pound senior is an imposing figure on the mound. The hard-throwing right hander has excelled in his first season as a varsity starter for coach Steve DeBarberie. In previous years Henry was blocked from cracking the roster because the Friars had talented teams that won a Catholic League title in 2022 and made deep runs in the PIAA playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
When the door cracked, Henry slammed it open. He is a key part to what the Friars hope to accomplish in 2023.
In a Catholic League showdown against St. Joseph’s Prep Thursday, Henry threw six innings of three-hit ball. He struck out five and issued three walks. While he battled with command problems early on, Henry settled in and silenced the Prep bats.
“It’s all about knowing my role and knowing when to step up. I’ve been waiting for three years and I want to make the most of it while I can,” said Henry, who is committed to Misericordia. “I only have one year left and I get to be a part of a great team. I’m just giving all my heart out on the field and leaving it all out there. I had a little bit of command issues in the beginning today, but I trusted my fielders and got the ball over the plate. I think we have the best defense in the PCL, so I know I just have to throw strikes and trust them and they made the plays behind me.”
Henry has been a welcome addition after the Friars lost All-Delco pitchers Michael Anderson (Rhode Island) and Kevin Henrich (North Alabama) to graduation.
“That’s a testament to our program the last few years,” DeBarberie said. “I mean, we were so deep last year with pitching and Michael Anderson was one of the best pitchers-slash-first basemen around, so Bryan didn’t have much opportunity. He waited and waited and continued to develop and get better. And so far this year he’s been lights out on the mound for us.”
Henry has an arsenal that includes a splitter, a pitch not many high school kids experiment with. But Henry doesn’t have the appearance of an ordinary high school player. He has the necessary equipment – large hands – to grip the pitch and throw it with effectiveness.
“I like to lean on my splitter a lot because it doesn’t have much movement and not a lot of people my age throw the splitter, so I try to take advantage of it,” Henry said. “My coaches said, ‘You have really big hands, why don’t you try throwing a splitter?’ I mean, my change was never the best so I usually threw a slider and curveball. I just worked on it and worked on it. I wouldn’t say I perfected it, but I’ve got it down pretty good and it’s really been paying off.”
Henry pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning. The Hawks had the bases jammed again in the fifth. Robby Grasso hit a sinking line drive with two outs, but right fielder Ryan Friel stayed with it the whole way and made an outstanding diving catch, saving three runs.
More than 20 MLB scouts were on hand to watch Bonner & Prendergast shortstop Kevin McGonigle. The reigning Daily Times Player of the Year is projected to get picked in the first round of the MLB Draft in July. McGonigle put on a hitting clinic for his audience. He smoked a leadoff single up the middle in the first inning, walked and scored a run in the third, ripped a double to deep center in the fourth, and crushed an RBI single in the fifth.
McGonigle praised Henry for his work ethic and success this season. The Auburn commit has played with Henry since their days in Drexel Hill Little League and is thrilled to see his friend get the chance to start on varsity.
“It’s amazing and it pushes everybody else. I mean, that’s Bonner baseball for you,” McGonigle said. “It just shows that if you stay in this great organization and work your tail off, you will get your opportunity. He’s been doing great this year, I’m so happy for him. And he also had a big home run (in the Friars’ win over Neumann-Goretti on Wednesday).”
The Friars (6-5, 5-2 PCL) scored three runs courtesy of Irv Fisher’s bases-clearing triple in the third inning. They tacked on two in the fourth on McGonigle’s double and a single by CJ Nocella, who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Harry Carr crushed an RBI double in the first to give Bonner a 1-0 lead. Justin Shepherd had a single, walk and two runs scored out of the nine hole in the order.
In the Central League:
Upper Darby 3, Springfield 1 >> Chris Chung dazzled on the mound, throwing a complete game one-hitter with nine strikeouts. Chung helped his cause with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI.
Brian Fitzpatrick collected three hits and an RBI for the Royals. Drew Kessler went 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI.
Springfield starter Matt Bean allowed three runs (zero earned) on six hits and struck out four in five innings.
Ridley 3, Radnor 1 >> Ridley pitcher Jake Naumann threw a four-hit shutout with eight punchouts for the Green Raiders. His first 20 pitches all went for strikes.
Dan Stickney clubbed a two-out, two-run double in a three-run fifth inning. Mike Happersett went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Kyle Miltenberger had two hits for the Raptors.
Strath Haven 8, Lower Merion 3 >> The Panthers scored two runs in each of the first two innings. Nick Corritore (three walks, two runs scored), Zane Malarkey, Will Thompson and Brian Milligan all had a hit and an RBI.
Luke D’Ancona went the distance on the hill, scattering eight hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out four.
Penncrest 7, Haverford 2 >> Sean O’Donnell paced the Lions with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Harry Giles went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Kris Farnan singled and drove in two runs.
Josh Kalinowski pitched 4.2 innings of shutout ball to earn the win. Shane Durkan singled and doubled for the Fords.
Marple Newtown 3, Garnet Valley 1 >> Aidin Curran threw a complete game with four strikeouts for the Tigers. Bennett Cox went 2-for-3 with a double and Jason Bennett had a hit and two RBIs.
In nonleague play:
Sun Valley 9, Archbishop Carroll 5 >> Max Bartholf ripped a two-run double and finished with two hits and three RBIs for the Vanguards (6-4). Jackson Messick stroked a two-run triple, while Josh Lillis (double, RBI) and Justin Hickman (RBI) had two hits apiece.
Cole Corrento gave up four hits and an earned run in five innings on the way to pick up the win.
In the Del Val League:
Chichester 19, Penn Wood 0 >> Vince Wildrick got his first varsity win and had two hits and an RBI.
Jason Hankins homered and had three RBIs for the Eagles (10-0, 6-0). DJ Anderson doubled twice and knocked in three runs. Troy Jeff tripled, doubled and drove in five runs. Gavin Derrickson’s first varsity at bat was an RBI triple.
In the Inter-Ac League:
Germantown Academy 7, Haverford School 0 >> Jac Campbell pitched well enough, allowing only one earned run in 3.2 innings, but the Fords committed four errors behind him.
