Baseball: Healthy and ready, Kehoe comes through in clutch for Friars

UPPER DARBY – Bonner & Prendergast junior Jaxon Kehoe hoped for the best and feared the worst when his knee buckled during a game in Las Vegas last month.

Kehoe stepped on home plate awkwardly while the Friars were taking part in a national showcase on April 3 and suffered a knee sprain. Bonner’s starting third baseman and relief ace was on the injured list for the better part of a month, returning May 4.

“I was scared,” Kehoe said. “I didn’t want to come back (too fast) because you never know, you could tear your ACL and end your career. But once I felt more comfortable, the doctor said it was nothing too serious and I could get back to playing and wearing a brace for a couple of games, get out there and play like I’m used to. Today was the first game I played without the brace actually and it felt really good.”

With Wednesday’s game against Cardinal O’Hara tied, Kehoe entered to pitch two shutdown innings of relief. In the bottom of the seventh, Kehoe laced a double the opposite way to put two runners in scoring position and set the stage for a sacrifice fly by Bryan Henry to score Justin Shepherd and lift the Friars to a 4-3 victory.

“I got back into my old stance and got into my legs more. I peaked down the right-field line and I saw (the right fielder), he was playing the gap towards center field,” Kehoe said. “And as soon as (pitcher Kevin King) threw that pitch outside, I knew to just slap it that way and hit it hard down the line.”

Austin Cannon’s single with one out sparked the rally. With runners on second and third, the Lions opted to intentionally walk catcher Quinn Bryan, who was 2-for-3 with a double, to go after Henry, who had struck out in his previous at bat. Henry dug in and crushed a pitch to deep center.

“I mean, I took it personally,” Henry said. “I didn’t have my best stuff pitching today, so I had to prove myself at the end. Maybe get a hit or a sac fly and make up for what I did on the mound at the plate. I tried my best to get the run in.”

While Henry was the hero and ensured the Friars (12-6, 9-3 PCL) clinched the No. 2 seed in the Catholic League tournament, he gave all the credit to Kehoe.

“I’m so proud of him,” Henry said. “He came out and dealt. And him coming through in the clutch like that, it’s great. … He’s incredible. Give him all the props. He put it on a silver platter for me.”

In relief of Henry, Kehoe struck out four of eight hitters. He allowed a pair of singles in the seventh but forced Nate Evert to pop out to first base to end the inning.

“He’s used to that spot now, being in that role coming in when we are tied or we have a lead, and either keeping it close or shutting the door,” Bonner coach Steve DeBarberie said. “You know what you’re going to get out of him, you’re going to get a lot of strikes. The curveball is one of the best around. Keeping hitters off balance and just playing for ground balls, that’s what makes him so good. He’s a ground ball pitcher.”

It was Kehoe’s first real outing since his return, save for a one-pitch appearance against La Salle Monday.

” I wanted to go right after hitters,” said Kehoe, a Radford University commit. “The curve is my best pitch, so I go out there and try to throw that for strike one and then after that I can have fun with my pitches and go after them.”

The Friars scored first. Reigning Daily Times Player of the Year Kevin McGonigle reached base on an error and scored on an RBI grounder by Irv Fisher. Bryan began the second inning with a double and crossed home on a McGonigle single.

The Lions grabbed a 3-2 lead in the third when Paul Daly smashed a three-run homer to left

“I had a couple of bad pitches I shot myself in the foot with and they took advantage,” said Henry, who allowed three earned runs on seven hits and struck out three. “I have to be better next time.”

O’Hara ace Pat Ahearn pitched well but didn’t receive much help from his defense. He gave up three runs (one earned) on seven hits and struck out five over five innings. The tying run scored off Ahearn when his catcher tried to nab Carr, who doubled, stealing third but overshot the throw.

The Friars wrap up the regular season with games against Inter-Ac League powers Malvern Prep and Haverford School before trying to defend their Catholic League title.

“We want to get this one really bad,” Kehoe said. “And then obviously the state title (Class 4A). We’ve lost the past two years in the state semifinals, which is a bummer. But right now we really want to go back and get the PCL title.”

In other Catholic League action:

Neumann-Goretti 10, Archbishop Carroll 1 >> The Patriots (6-14, 4-8 PCL) took the early lead on Jack Bateman’s RBI double in the fourth inning. He had Carroll’s only two hits.

In the Central League:

Garnet Valley 6, Conestoga 5 >> Brady Thompson hit a grand slam, and Logan Nelson went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Ryan Faccenda added a run-scoring single for the Jaguars. Shane McDermott pitched five innings to earn the win. Jack Krautzel pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up the save.

Strath Haven 1, Springfield 0 >> Luke D’Ancona outdueled Sean Williams on the mound. The sophomore spun a three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts. Williams went the distance as well, allowing one unearned run and two hits with four strikeouts.

Matt Kane scored from second base in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a pair of throwing errors. Kane and Sam Milligan had the hits for Central League champions.

Marple Newtown 9, Penncrest 4 >> The Tigers put up a five spot in the top of the first. Jack Maholick produced three base knocks, including a double, and four RBIs. Kevin Taraborelli (two RBIs) and Aiden Pearson both went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.

Aidin Curran threw five innings of three-hit ball to get the win.

Sean O’Donnell and David Meiser each had a hit and an RBI for the Lions.

Harriton 2, Radnor 0 >> Danny Armstrong pitched six solid innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, but suffered the loss. Harriton scored its runs with a pair of two-out hits in the fifth inning. Joe Krasowski and Teddy Monahan (double) socked the only hits for the visiting Raptors.