Senior left-handers Bobby Della Polla (Havertown, Pa./St. Joseph's Preparatory) and Corey Gorman (Laflin, Pa./Coughlin) tossed complete games to lead The University of Scranton baseball team to a doubleheader sweep against Catholic University, 5-4 and 7-4, on Saturday afternoon at Connell Park.
The victories improve Scranton to 20-17 overall and 9-8 in the conference. The Royals are tied for third with Moravian with one game to go, one game ahead of fifth place Drew. A Scranton win or a Drew loss against Moravian on Sunday will put the Royals in next weekend's Landmark Conference playoffs.
Della Polla earned his sixth win and fourth complete game of the season by allowing four runs, one earned, on five hits and a walk while striking out six. He now has 15 career wins and is 12 strikeouts shy of 200 for his career.
Catholic (25-14, 11-6 Landmark) scored first with a run in the top of the second, but Scranton answered with two in the bottom half to take a 2-1 lead. Senior shortstop Tim LeCompte (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) and freshman outfielder Ray Grapsy (Covington Township, Pa./North Pocono) started the inning with singles and LeCompte then stole third and eventually scored on an error. Sophomore outfielder Michael Umerich (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) added an RBI sac fly to put Scranton ahead.
The Royals then scored three times in the third to take a 5-1 advantage. Junior outfielder Michael Gaeta (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) had an RBI single and Grapsy delivered the big blow, a two-run double.
The Cardinals fought back with three unearned runs in the fifth, but Della Polla got a big strikeout to end the inning and did not allow a hit in the final two innings to seal the victory.
Grapsy finished with two hits and two RBIs, and LeCompte had two hits and scored twice.
In the second game, Gorman allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out eight. It was his third win and third complete game of the year and he now has 76 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings. For his career, Gorman has 15 wins and 225 strikeouts.
The Royals trailed, 3-0, in the middle of the fourth inning after Catholic scored twice in the fourth. But the Royals found their offensive stride again with a four-run fourth inning to take the lead. Senior catcher Michael Amaturo (Rye, N.Y./Rye), junior designated hitter Eric Pizzico (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford), junior third baseman Mike Trabulsi (Malverne, N.Y./Chaminade) and Umerich each had RBI singles in the inning.
Scranton added three more runs in the fifth when Pizzico delivered a two-run single and Grapsy scored at the end of the play on a throwing error by the Cardinals. Catholic added a run in the seventh, but Gorman got a game-ending strikeout with the bases loaded.
Pizzico finished the second game with two hits, three RBIs and a run scored, Gaeta singled, doubled and scored twice, and Trabulsi had two hits and an RBI.
Scranton has now won 20 or more games in three straight seasons, the first time the Royals have accomplished that feat in school history.
The two teams will complete the series when they play the final game on Sunday, beginning at 11 a.m. at Connell Park.
--ROYALS--