Since its inception in 1986, the Philadelphia Catholic League has showcased many of the tri-state area’s top baseball players, but another Carpenter Cup Classic championship had proved elusive.
That changed during a seven-day stretch June 9-15, when the PCL captured its first title since 2005 and the fourth in league history after previous championships in 1987 and 1990.
The PCL punctuated a marvelous four-game performance on June 15 with a 5-0 victory over Delaware County at South Philadelphia’s Dick Allen Field at FDR Park. Because of a scheduling conflict involving the Phillies, the championship game was played there instead of Citizens Bank Park.
Victories over defending champion Burlington County (3-1), Bux-Mont (6-0), and Jersey Shore (6-3 in nine innings) paved the way for the championship final.
“Coming into the tournament, I did feel like I was on a roll because we had just finished our high school season,” said Archbishop Wood senior Chase Cavallaro, who will play at Chestnut Hill College next year. “I was able to continue that success into the tournament, which was great.”
Cavallaro was easily the tournament’s top hitter, batting .556 with five runs scored, five RBIs, and two doubles. Batting leadoff, his biggest hit came in the semifinal against Jersey Shore, a ninth-inning, three-run triple that broke the game open and secured the victory.
He also delivered in the championship game, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a fourth-inning RBI double that helped the PCL build a 4-0 lead. With the league’s dominant pitching, that proved more than enough.
“Unfortunately, my Wood season came to an end in a way I didn’t want,” said Cavallaro, referring to a semifinal loss to Conwell-Egan in the PCL playoffs. “It was really rough, but to be able to move on to the Carpenter Cup, continue my success, and ultimately win the whole thing with a great group of guys, it definitely cheered me up.”
Cavallaro credited the PCL’s 12-game regular season and rugged postseason for preparing him and his teammates to face strong competition from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
“Facing a quality pitcher every game in the PCL definitely helps,” said Cavallaro. “Especially when you face top-notch pitchers, it prepares you for any type of pitching. That’s what’s great about the PCL.”
While averaging five runs per game behind an offense that featured six different hitters with at least six plate appearances who batted .429 or better, the PCL also benefited from a lights-out pitching staff.
In the championship win, Archbishop Wood senior Brady Sell (two innings, four strikeouts), Neumann-Goretti senior John LaSpada (two innings, two strikeouts), Bonner-Prendergast junior Jake Gorman (1.2 innings, three strikeouts), and Devon Prep junior John Doogan (1.1 innings, three strikeouts) combined to shut down Delaware County.
The latter three threw a combined 19 scoreless innings during the tournament.
“It was great getting to play alongside the best players in the league,” said LaSpada, who is headed to Rowan University. “Especially after getting a taste of it last year at CBP, it was awesome to go out on top.”
Doogan felt the same way.
“It was definitely an amazing experience to get to play with all of the guys that you’re battling against all year,” said Doogan. “Especially to win a championship that big with them.”
The PCL will have one more reunion on Aug. 4, when the Phillies will honor the team before a game against the Washington Nationals.
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Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on X @johnknebels.
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