Late Runs Produce 6-4 Win For GV Baseball

Great Valley scored three runs in the last two innings and used outstanding pitching from junior D.J. Mallon Monday afternoon to take a 6-4 Ches-Mont League win over Bishop Shanahan.

The Patriots rallied from a 1-3 deficit at one point, scoring the go-ahead run in the sixth inning without the benefit of a hit for their fourth straight win.

After tying the game at 3-3 in the fifth, Great Valley (8-6) went ahead during the sixth when Christian Barrett walked then wound up on third base when Reggie Williams' sacrifice bunt was overthrown at first base. Barrett scored on Thomas Schwartz's sacrifice fly to center and the Pats led 4-3.

They had managed to take a 1-0 advantage in the second as David Iacobucci worked a base on balls,  was bunted to second by Barrett, then scored on Schwartz's double to the left-center gap.

Shanahan, however, came back in the bottom of the frame to tie things at 1-1 on three singles.

The Eagles added two runs in their half of the third off Mallon, who was a victim of some shaky Great Valley defense. With one out, Shanahan collect back-to-back hits to put runners on first and third. Mallon got a strikeout, but a grounder to Kevin Falcone was thrown away and a run scored to give the Downingtown unit a 2-1 lead. Pat catcher Jack Meeker tried to pick a runner off who was leaning toward home off third base, but his throw was wild and a run scored to make it 3-1. Mallon then got the final out on a pop up to second.

Great Valley got the two runs back for its pitcher in the fifth. Falcone slapped  double down the rightfield line and Meeker walked to start the inning. Nick Evangelista plated one run with an RBI single and Chance Griffths knocked in another with a groundout to even the game 3-3.

After the two runs by Shanahan (4-10) in the third, Mallon was pretty much untouchable. He walked the leadoff hitter of the fourth, then retired three straight and had a 1-2-3 fifth. After an error put the first man on in the sixth, he got a strikeout, groundout, then threw a 1-3-6-3 double play ball (getting an out at both first and third) to end the inning.

Ahead 4-3, the Pats added two insurance runs in the seventh. Meeker singled, was sacrificed to second by Evangelista and scored on a bloop hit to right by Griffiths. On a hit and run, Jordan Vallinino sliced a hit to right, then stole second. Iacobucci singled as Griffiths scored, but Vallinino was cut down at the plate on perfect throw from center.

Mallon gave up a double to start the bottom of the seventh but got a strikeout and a groundout, and allowed a single but saw the 6-4 win sealed when Meeker picked the runner off first base by five feet. He whiffed three Eagles on the day, allowed seven hits and recorded 10 outs on fly balls.

The Patriots had eight players with one hit apiece, plus got two RBIs from Schwartz and Griffiths. They also stole five bases and had five sacrifices as well.

Information on upcoming games

Great Valley hosts Unionville on Wednesday and travels to West Chester Rustin this Friday, both games at 3:45 p.m.

[Edited 5/3/11 10 a.m. to include late-game run by Bishop Shanahan.]