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Gwynedd Mercy 12, Centenary 10


BOX SCORE


GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- The Griffins used a big sixth inning, scoring seven runs to take a lead they would not relinquish in a 12-10 CSAC victory over Centenary on Thursday.

Gwynedd, who trailed 4-3 after the fifth, saw the Cyclones plate three runs on three hits and three errors in the sixth to turn the momentum. But the Griffins (5-15, 5-7 CSAC), who are in a fight for a playoff spot, responded with seven runs (four unearned) using four hits and three Centenary errors. Senior Rick Elfreth (Sicklerville, N.J./St. Augustine) doubled home two runs and freshman Mike Cavanaugh (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) later delivered a two-run single as GMercyU took its first lead of the game at 10-7.

The Cyclones added a run in the seventh and again in the eighth to cut the lead to one. Gwynedd looked to add some insurance runs in the eighth as freshman Jason Mulvey (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) knocked in two runs with a triple to the gap in right to up the lead to three runs.

Those runs came in handy in a tense ninth, as Centenary would get a run across. Reliever Andrew Hill (Christiana, Pa./Octorara) came on to try an save it, getting the first two batters out. A two-out single followed by back-to-back walks would load the bases. The Cyclones plated one across as a hard hit ball up the middle was snagged by second baseman Brandon DiCiano (Sicklerville, N.J./Washington Twp.) but his flip to second was wild. Still with the bags full, Hill got Dave Raifsnyder to fly out to right to end it.

Centenary got on the board in their first at bat, using a Ryan Caparoni RBI triple and Raifsnyder's sac fly to take a 2-0 lead. The Griffins answered in the bottom half on a two-run, two-out double off the bat of junior David Blount (Croydon, Pa./Harry S. Truman).

Trailing 4-2, Gwynedd got one back in the fifth when junior Beau Fleming (Levittown, Pa./Conwell-Egan) singled home Chris Hens (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham).

Freshman Nick DeRitis (Haddon Twp., N.J./Haddon Twp.), who came on in the sixth for Elfreth, picked up the win, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits with two K's and a walk.

Hens would officially finish 2-for-2 with three runs and three walk, both career highs. Blount added two doubles and a run scored while Elfreth was 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.

Caparoni was 3-for-6 with three runs across and two driven in for the Cyclones (13-10, 5-7 CSAC).

The Griffins face off with Penn State-Abington tomorrow in a non-conference affair starting at 3 p.m.