Bonner slips by Wood in a PCL semifinal

The run that sent Monsignor Bonner to the Catholic League baseball championship wasn't the result of timely hitting, a dramatic long drive or even heads-up base running.

Ever heard of a walk-off hit by pitch?

After loading the bases on two walks and a bunt single in the bottom of the 11th inning of Saturday's semifinal, Bonner beat Archbishop Wood, 5-4, when Jim Murphy was drilled by a pitch - allowing Jim Haley to trot home from third.

Understandably, the Friars spilled onto the La Salle High field to mob Murphy for his heroic plunking, before turning their attention toward Tuesday's 4 p.m. title game against Neumann-Goretti at Widener University.

But Bonner may not have been in position to win the game (without hitting the ball past the pitcher's mound) if not for the shutdown effort of reliever and winner Ron Scull, who struck out five and blanked the Vikings over the final 42/3 innings.

Scull also was clutch at the plate, following Joe Haley's RBI single in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out single that tied the game.

Bonner (16-4) started its comeback from a 4-1 deficit with a run in the sixth.

Kyle McCrossen doubled twice and Jeff Courter tripled in a pair of runs for Wood (13-5).

Abington Friends captured the inaugural Pennsylvania Independent Schools championship by defeating Penn Charter, 6-3, in the title game played at Rosemont College.

Gabby Garza struck out 10 and stranded plenty of baserunners, limiting the Quakers to three runs despite yielding four hits and six walks. The sophomore righthander wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning with a strikeout and a game-ending pop-up.

A pair of seniors, first baseman Kelsey Clark (3 for 4, 2 runs scored, 4 RBIs) and shortstop Christina Furlong (2 for 4, 2 RBIs) shouldered the load on offense for the Kangaroos (17-3), who finished the season on a 13-game win streak under first-year coach Christine Gibson.

"We've been swinging the bat tremendously the last couple of games," Gibson said. "There was good competition in the tournament, and we lost to Penn Charter [7-6 on April 6] so that was a big incentive for the girls."