Berks Catholic, Oley Valley eliminated in District 3 Tournament
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Hard-hitting James Buchanan put up eight runs over its final two at-bats to top visiting Berks Catholic 10-8 in a District 3 Class 4A quarterfinal Monday, ending the Saints’ season.
Fifth-seeded Berks Catholic (16-5) led 5-2 after four innings before allowing four runs in the fifth and four in the sixth.
The Saints overcame the first four-spot, scoring three times in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead, before the fifth-seeded Rockets (15-7) got to reliever Parker Nein for two hits and three runs in a four-run sixth.
Starting pitcher Trey Stricker and first baseman Dennys Rodriguez each went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs for the Saints, who had 11 hits.
James Bell homered and drove in four runs to lead an 11-hit James Buchanan attack.
The Rockets are batting .311 and averaging 6.7 runs per game. They advance to meet eighth-seeded Elco in the semifinals; Elco knocked off top-seeded Bermudian Springs 12-1.
Stricker, who entered with a 5-1 record and 2.81 ERA, allowed nine hits and seven runs over five innings. He struck out nine.
The Berks III champion Saints end their season with two straight losses after falling to Wilson 7-2 in a Berks quarterfinal. They drew a first-round bye in districts.
Trinity 5, Oley Valley 2
At Camp Hill, Ryan Balaban homered and drove in three runs as the second-seeded Shamrocks eliminated the seventh-seeded Lynx in a District 3 Class 3A quarterfinal Monday.
The Berks III runner-up Lynx (11-10) end the season with four straight losses.
Ty Book limited the Lynx to six hits and one earned run over 6 2/3 innings; he struck out seven.
Sophomore Chase Kegerise took the loss, allowing seven hits and five runs over six innings.
All-Berks pick Paul Petersen, a shortstop and Oley’s top pitcher, went 2-for-3 and had the only RBI for the Lynx. He ends his senior season batting .515 with a .595 on-base percentage and a .705 slugging percentage.
Oley Valley scored twice in the top of the fourth to pull within 3-2 before Trinity answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Balaban went 3-for-3 and scored twice.
Trinity will meet sixth-seeded Pequea Valley in the semifinals; the winner clinches a PIAA Tournament berth.
Oley Valley won its district opener last year before losing in the semifinals to Camp Hill, 8-2.
