Non-league
NORTH PENN 3, RIDLEY 2
It was Community Knight at the Ballpark at Ben Hostelley Stadium on Friday, and the Knights – during a special pregame ceremony – honored the 50th anniversary of North Penn’s 1973 Bux-Mont champs and the 10-year anniversary of the 2013 PIAA State championship squad.
They capped the celebration with a non-league win over the Green Raiders in their final regular season contest.
Ridley bunched three hits and scored the game’s first run in the top of the first inning. That 1-0 score stood until the Knights evened the score in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Justin Egner lined a single to center, and Kevin Brace followed and was safe on an error. Jack Picozzi’s single to center drove in the Knights’ first run.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Knights went on top 2-1 when Chase Jones – who led off the inning with a single – scored on a groundout. They added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Shane Drennan lined a one-out single to right field, advanced to third base when Jeremiah Criger lined a two-out double to right and scored on a wild pitch to put the Knights on top 3-1.
The Green Raiders pulled to within one in the top of the seventh and had the tying run on third with two outs when Jackson Kelly came up with a huge strikeout to close out the game.
Kelly was credited with a save. Nick Palovich earned the win, allowing three hits and one run while striking out three and walking one in five solid innings on the mound. Joey Mendez threw 1.1 innings, allowing one run while striking out two and walking four. Kelly, who allowed one hit, collected the game’s final two outs.
Criger’s 2-for-2 effort with a double led the Knights’ eight-hit attack.
North Penn (16-4, 13-3 SOL) will return to action Wednesday when the Knights will face the winner of the #15 West Chester Henderson/#18 Council Rock North contest in the second round of the District 1 6A Tournament.
Ridley 100 000 1 2-4-1
North Penn 001 101 x 3-8-2
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