Pope John Paul II shuts out Springfield-Montco, wins first playoff baseball game since 2014

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UPPER PROVIDENCE >> The last time Pope John Paul II won a postseason baseball game, Apple was still on the iPhone 6, Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” was the top of the Billboard 100 and Barack Obama was in his second term as president of the United States.

It’s been a long time — 3,266 days — since the Golden Panthers won their last playoff game, being the PIAA Class 3A state final on June 13, 2014.

But fast forward to Tuesday, that counter has now reset.

Top-seeded Pope John Paul II shut out No. 4 Springfield-Montco, 10-0 in five innings at home in the District 1-4A semifinals. With the win, the Golden Panthers (16-5) will take on No. 3 Upper Perkiomen, a 6-2 winner over No. 2 Holy Ghost Prep, in the District 1-4A final on Friday, 4 p.m. at Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.

“It’s pretty big. Last year, we were short because we lost in the first district game,” Pope John Paul II pitcher Aidan Sgarra said. “I feel like we’re on a roll, gotta keep going.”

While the Golden Panthers’ bats were hot, Sgarra kept things ice-cold on the mound. Through four innings, the junior held the Spartans (7-14) to one hit and struck out three. Sophomore Luke Terlesky closed out the top of the fifth with a pair of strikeouts.

Pope John Paul II put enough runs in the bank in the bottom of the first inning to go the distance. With the bases loaded, AJ Diaddezio drove in two with a double to left field for a quick 2-0 lead that proved to be permanent.

Both clubs battled through a stalemate second inning before the Golden Panthers pulled away with five runs in the third. Three walks loaded the bases with no outs and from there, Terlesky forced in the lead man before a two RBI knock from Sgarra. An error scored Terlesky and Billy Fitzgerald added an RBI single for a 7-0 cushion.

Filling the nine-hole with Terlesky moved up to eighth in the order, Sgarra was just as productive at the plate as he was on the mound, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

“It’s little stuff like that where from top to bottom, our lineup can get going,” Pope John Paul II coach Charles Deluzio said. “We know if we get to the top four of our lineup and Brendan Kenning isn’t hitting, or Chase (Frantz) isn’t hitting, we know we got TJ (Boccella), we got Luke, they still have to get through there.

“(Sgarra) came through with a single, a big hit. It’s good when you have top-to-bottom. There’s no easy out on our baseball team.”

Springfield-Montco’s Matthew Carruso dives to first base to avoid being picked off by Brendan Kenning of Pope John Paul II during the District 1-4A baseball semifinals at Pope John Paul II High School on May 23. (Evan Wheaton – MediaNews Group)

Three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning allowed the Golden Panthers to enact the 10-run rule. With two runners on, Terlesky shelled out a triple to right field — the sophomore’s seventh triple of the season — to inflate Pope John Paul II further, 9-0.

Sgarra then drove in Terlesky with a base hit to cap the scoring before handing off the mound duties to him. The Golden Panthers were without Rhode Island commit Noah Brandt, but still recorded seven hits altogether, leadoff man Frank Dimaio going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

“He’s out of the lineup because of his hamstring, he hurt it at the Boyertown game, our last game of the year,” Deluzio said on Brandt. “We’ll try to get him for Friday but if not, we’ll see.”

Pope John Paul II senior Frank Dimaio, left, takes first base after recording a single during the District 1-4A baseball semifinals at Pope John Paul II High School on May 23. (Evan Wheaton – MediaNews Group)

While Springfield-Montco features a lineup with four talented hitters who hold .300-plus batting averages — Ryan Marcino (.321), Brett Smith (.370), Matt Caruso (.386) and Colby Sabin (.419) — it was discipline at the plate that allowed the Spartans to work six walks and keep their presence felt on the bags.

Springfield-Montco was able to get on base seven times, loading them once in the top of the fourth. The Spartans were dealt a double play but loaded the bases after, though a lineout to first base on a 3-2 pitch prevented them from cashing in.

“Gotta give credit to Pope, they played well,” Springfield-Montco coach Dennis Primavera said. “They play in a tough league.”

After finishing in second place in the Suburban One League Freedom Division, the Spartans had to battle their way into the District 1-4A playoff field. On the outside of the bubble looking in, the Spartans came up with wins over Cheltenham (18-1) and Merion Mercy (12-9) to close out the regular season and squeak into the district bracket.

“The season’s been up and down all year. They’ve put together some really good games, which got us into the playoffs,” Primavera said. “We got a little luck from other teams to help squeeze us in. We’re a very young team. Even though I have a starting senior in the outfield, my pitchers were all sophomores today. The infield, all sophomores up the middle.”

Pope John Paul II first baseman Brendan Kenning (25) high-fives Golden Panthers coach Charles Deluzio, left, after recording an out to retire the sides against Springfield-Montco during the District 1-4A baseball semifinals at Pope John Paul II High School on May 23. (Evan Wheaton – MediaNews Group)

Pope John Paul II celebrated another milestone at the end of the regular season before ending its postseason drought. The Golden Panthers won the PAC Frontier Division for the first time since 2017, PAC champion Phoenixville having taken it the last four seasons (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022).

Upper Perkiomen split the regular season with Pope John Paul II, the Indians with a 5-3 home win on April 20 and the Golden Panthers with a 3-1 win on May 8 as well.

Round three between the PAC Frontier foes will be on a neutral site with something much bigger than divisional bragging rights on the line.

“We take it as, we just have to keep playing,” Sgarra said. “Don’t stop, keep rolling.”

Pope John Paul II 10, Springfield-Montco 0

Results

Team12345RHE
Springfield-Montco00000012
Pope John Paul II2053—1070
Springfield PJP
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Halligan 2 0 0 0 Dimaio 3 2 2 0
Caruso 1 0 0 0 Fitzgerald 3 0 1 1
Smith 2 0 0 0 B. Kenning 2 1 0 0
Marcino 3 0 1 0 Frantz 1 0 0 0
Hartman 1 0 0 0 Diadezzio 1 2 1 2
Hastings 2 0 0 0 Simeone 1 1 0 0
Sabin 1 0 0 0 Boccella 3 1 0 0
Kidwell 1 0 0 0 Terlesky 3 2 1 2
R. Hartman 0 0 0 0 Rullo 0 0 0 0
May 0 0 0 0 Sgarra 3 0 2 3
McKittrick 2 0 0 0 Chycota 0 1 0 0
J. Kenning 0 0 0 0
Totals 15 0 1 0 Totals 20 10 7 8

2B — Diaddezio; 3B — Terlesky.

IP H R ER BB SO
Springfield
Kidwell 2 3 5 5 6 4
R. Hartman 1.2 4 5 3 3 0
May 0.1 0 0 0 1 0
PJP
Sgarra 4 1 0 0 5 3
Terlesky 1 0 0 0 1 2
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Evan Wheaton

ewheaton

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