ERIE – Andrew Costello thought he was going to first base after getting hit by a pitch, but the umpire ruled Costello hadn’t done enough to avoid the pitch and kept him at the plate.
Costello answered by blasting a 2-run home run to left center that started a 7-run rally and lifted Cathedral Prep to a 9-2 win over Meadville and the District 10 Class 4A baseball title.
See the sequence:
“Honestly for me, it was just another opportunity,” Costello said. “I was feeling really confident in that situation and luckily I pulled it off.”
See Costello’s full postgame interview:
The following six Ramblers reached base safely after Costello’s home run. Three straight singles, a walk, a single, and a hit by pitch pushed the lead to 7-2. Nick Jackson grounded into a fielder’s choice, but two runs scored on the play for the final margin.
Andrew Malec pitched a clean seventh to close out the win. This was the ninth straight D10 baseball championship for Cathedral Prep.
The rally broke a 2-2 tie that had been in place since the end of the first inning.
The Bulldogs had a chance to break the game wide open in the first inning as they had the bases loaded with no outs. One out later, Jordan Young lined a single to center that scored a pair. Brady Walker was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play and Luke Costello got Gavin Beck to strike out to end the inning.
“Some of the plays my fielders were making out there just gave me a sense of confidence,” Luke Costello said. “It was a hard-fought win, and a hard-fought win on the mound for me especially.”
See Luke Costello’s full postgame interview:
The Ramblers answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning. Nick Jackson drew a leadoff walk and moved all the way to third on a passed ball. Cole Constable was hit by a pitch and pinch runner Noah Lauria stole second to put runners on second and third. Jackson scored on Andrew Costello’s ground out, and Luke Costello followed with an RBI single to tie it at 2-2.
That single was the only hit Meadville pitcher AJ Feleppa allowed through the first five innings.
Meadville had a chance to tack on a run in the fourth after a hit batter and two walks loaded the bases with two outs. Jason Fultz was able to track down Brighton Anderson’s popup in foul territory and made the catch to end the inning.
That was the only time either team got a runner past first base in the second, third, fourth, or fifth innings.
Andrew Costello’s home run was the only extra-base hit of the game.
Young had a hit and two RBIs for the Bulldogs.
Feleppa took the loss allowing five earned runs on three hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
Andrew Costello had three RBIs, while Luke Costello had two hits and an RBI. Jackson and J Koshan also drove in a pair.
Luke Costello got the win allowing two earned runs on four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in six innings.
The Ramblers will take on the No. 3 team from the WPIAL on Monday, June 5 at a time and location to be announced.
