true Gwynedd-Mercy 4, Eastern 1

BOX SCORE

GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. – Sophomore Andrew Schaefer (Penndel, Pa./Conwell-Egan) allowed one run on seven hits, while striking out five in a complete game win, helping lead Gwynedd-Mercy to a 4-1 non-conference win over Eastern on Wednesday.

Sophomore Dante Cassano (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) went 3-for-4, knocking in three runs as the Griffins (21-15) now have won 12 of their last 13 games. Sophomore John Burns (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) scored twice, doubled and walked while senior Kevin Smeraglio (Newtown, Pa./Holy Ghost) was 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, his sixth time this season.

The Griffins jumped ahead 2-0 in the first when Cassano drove in Smeraglio and Burns with a single to left. Eastern plated a run in the third as Andre Butler scored from second on a bloop single from Dave Prager to make it a one-run game.

From there, Schaefer cruised, posting 1-2-3 innings from the fourth through the seventh. In the eighth inning, he worked out of jam with two on and one out, getting back-to-back fly outs to squash the threat.

GM would score a run in the seventh with runners on the corners and one out. Freshman John Salvatore (Philadelphia, Pa./Holy Ghost) laid down a near-perfect bunt between the mound and first base, allowing freshman Rick Elfreth (Sicklerville, N.J./St. Augustine) to score.

In the eighth, the Griffins added more insurance as Cassano struck again with a two-out RBI single to score Burns, who earlier doubled.

Butler had two of the seven hits for Eastern (20-15), going 2-for-3 with a double. Starter Greg Lukasik went four innings, allowing the two runs and was charged with the loss.

Gwynedd-Mercy will travel to Marywood on Friday to kickstart a weekend conference series beginning at 3 p.m. The teams will meet here in Gwynedd Valley on Saturday in a doubleheader starting at noon.