ERIE, PA. – Cathedral Prep overcame an early 4-1 deficit to beat Slippery Rock 11-7 for the District 10 Class 4A baseball championship.
Trailing by three runs going into the third inning, the Ramblers erupted for five runs in the third and two more in the fourth to build an 8-4 advantage, which proved to be all the runs they would need.
In the pivotal third inning, Jason Fultz Jr. delivered a two-run single, while Jackson Mattocks followed with a two-run single of his own.
In the fourth, Cole Constable’s RBI double gave the Ramblers a 7-4 advantage and Luke Costell’s RBI fielder’s choice made it 8-4.
The runs came in support of Jacob Engel, who came on in relief of Fultz Jr. to get the win. Engel went five innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out four, and walking four.
The Rockets took the early lead with four runs in the second inning, as Brett Galick and Luke Allison drew bases-loaded walks, and an error on a ball hit by Ryan Montgomery allowed another run to cross the plate. Shane Thompson plated the fourth run of the frame on a fielder’s choice.
Thompson took the loss, allowing eight runs (seven earned) in four innings, scattering seven hits, striking out three and walking three.
Costello and Fultz Jr. finished with three RBIs each for the Ramblers, while Jackson Mattocks drove in a pair and Constable crossed the plate four times.
Ethan Drushel finished with a pair of RBIs for the Rockets, while Sal Mineo was 4-for-4 with an RBI.
With the win, Prep moves on to play the No. 3 team from the WPIAL in the first round of the PIAA playoffs on Monday, which will be the winner of the Laurel Highlands/Knoch game.
