Gibbons Escapes With A 4-2 Win Over Chaminade

Last year they were district rivals.

Cardinal Gibbons and Chaminade-Madonna are both well respected programs that have consistently won for many years. In an attempt to add a district title to their collection this year, both schools find themselves in separate, but very tough districts.

Although it is a new year, Cardinal Gibbons continued where they left off last year against Chaminade. The Chiefs went on the road Thursday afternoon and came home victorious for the fourth time in their last four head-to-head meetings. Behind a fierce pitching combination of Nathan Pawelczyk and Karl Hirsch, the Chiefs prevented a late game rally and won 4-2.

Despite the end result of a loss, Shomari Thomas had a potent outing on the mound for the Lions (3-4). After getting off to a rocky start, Thomas settled in and turned on cruise control. Having the ability to keep hitters guessing at the plate Thomas fanned 10 and walked two over seven innings of ball.

“Shomari, early in the game, didn’t have a sharp curve-ball,” said Lions Manager Mike Moss. “They hit a couple of balls hard on him, but in the first we gave them the one run when we didn’t field the ground ball. They got a couple runs in the second, and after that he found his curve-ball. Then he struck out a bunch of a guys and they really didn’t do anything else. I felt bad for him because he busted his tail and hung tough. He did everything he was asked of him, but we couldn’t get him any runs.”

In the top of the first the Chief’s Ryan Swanson found the Bermuda triangle and dropped a single behind second base. Colin Durkin reached on a two out, haunting error to give the Chiefs early hope. Pawelczyk encountered an opportunity to help himself out on the mound. When the runners took their secondaries, he stayed back and went the other way with the pitch for a base hit. In a close play at the plate, Swanson was able to get under the tag, and beat the spot on throw from Shane Stockelman to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.

For the second straight inning Cardinal Gibbons applied tension on Thomas, who threw a few pitches he wished he could have back. Finding his way on base by perfection, Justin Lara crossed first before anyone realized he laid down a textbook bunt down the third base line.

After Austin Marrow was hit by a pitch, senior Chris Williams took full advantage and sent a ball to deep right to drive in both Lara and Marrow on his three-base hit. Williams was 2-for-3 with a double, triple, walk and two RBIs for the Chiefs, while Colin Durkin went 3-for-4.

The three runs scored in the first two innings proved to be enough at the end of the day for Gibbons (5-2) to earn a victory. Through the first four innings, Pawelczyk did not allow a runner past second. Pawelczyk allowed his defense to shine, while he struck out two and walked just one in his first four frames.

“I thought Pawelczyk was good today,” said Chiefs Manager Jason Hamilton. “More importantly, last week at Pace he wasn’t that good but he came back strong. He had command of the zone a lot better today, and his slider was good. He made big pitches in big spots, and as a junior he is still learning the game. It is nice to see him bounce back from last week.”

Gibbons second baseman Sean Otto led the defense by accounting for nine outs, which included a “quick hands” line-drive double play.

“Sean, at second base, is our most improved player from last year to this year,” said Hamilton. “He doesn’t hit for us, but pretty much makes the play on anything that comes his way. He doesn’t make it look like much, but we have as much confidence in him as we do with anyone on the field.”

As a baseball couple, Otto does the dirty laundry and play’s the field, while Marrow runs wild on the bases. Marrow finished the day 1-for-2 with a walk, three stolen bases, and half of Cardinal Gibbons runs.

The top of the fifth brought some excitement to the home crowd, as the Lions made a push. In a mixture of home and away cheers, the excitement started when Gibbons center fielder Lara made a diving catch, robbing the Lion’s of a leadoff hit.

Pawelczyk, who was picture-perfect most of the afternoon, fell out of rhythm and allowed more walks and runs in one half inning than he did in his first four combined.

After Daniel Vitello reached on an error, and the next two were dealt base on balls, walks became a trend as Mike Ramunno drew an RBI walk. A sac fly to center resulted in the second run for the Lions, but also gave Gibbons their second out. Dialed back in, Pawelczyk put out the fire on his third strike out of the game.

The second half of the Chief’s pitching combo had an easy sixth, but loaded the bases for Chaminade in the last. Accomplishing what his teammate did two innings earlier, Hirsch struck out his final batter and picked up the save in their fifth win of the season.

Chaminade will have their chance at revenge and a chance to end their four game skid against Gibbons on the final game of the regular season.

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