Germantown Academy outlasts Neumann-Goretti

By the time Germantown Academy's Ryan Dolan stepped into the batter's box with the bases loaded and the score tied in the 10th inning, his pants were scruffed and orange.

His aggressive approach on the basepaths had left its mark. That same style of play led him to consider a situation that he said could make him a goat or a genius.

With two outs, Dolan pondered laying down a bunt for a walk-off win. And his coach would not have been surprised.

Instead, the senior worked a full count and ripped a belt-high fastball that bounced past the first baseman, giving Germantown Academy a 12-11 victory over visiting Neumann-Goretti in a nonleague baseball game Saturday.

Dolan was mobbed by teammates after he rounded first, and the dust cloud created by the commotion surely added to the dirt on his uniform.

"I kind of put it in their hands at that point," first-year GA coach Tyler Stampone said. "But he didn't bunt and he hit the ball hard and got a good bounce, luckily."

Dolan is the team's cleanup hitter, which causes opponents to position their infield back as they are unaware of his speed.

"The third baseman was way back, so I had to think about it [a bunt]," said Dolan, who finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs and a run scored.

The Patriots (7-2) flirted with a mercy-rule win after leading by 9-2 after two innings. Five innings later, they were one out away from losing, as Neumann-Goretti stormed back with nine straight runs.

But the Patriots' Robert Gorman sent a two-run homer to left field and forced extra innings.

"We didn't really have our heads in it," Dolan said. "It's tough. But we fought back and that shows a lot about our team."

The Saints (10-2) took the lead in the fifth inning with Josh Ockimey's 320-foot homer to right field. Joe Kinee led the offense with three RBIs and one double.

The steady hand of reliever John Lamotta kept Neumann-Goretti in the game. The junior pitched seven innings and struck out 10 before being removed after the ninth.

Saints coach Mike Zolk called on Lamotta with no outs and the bases loaded in the second inning, as GA already led by five runs. The pitcher wiggled his way out of the frame and allowed just a pair of runs.

The two-out homer he relinquished to Gorman was his lone mistake.

Stampone intended to use Saturday's game as simply an opportunity for John Aiello to get some work before having the freshman start Tuesday's game against Inter-Ac League foe Malvern Prep.

Instead, the righthander pitched the final three innings and allowed just one hit to earn his fourth win.

"He's a freshman phenom," Dolan said of Aiello. "When he goes in, you can count on him to throw the ball over the plate, and he has enough velocity to get guys out."

Neumann-Goretti   112421000 - 11101

Germantown Acad.   270000201 - 12163

WP: John Aiello. LP: Marty Venafro. 2B: GA-Ryan Dolan, Ryan Obrecht; NG-Joe Kinee. HR: GA-Robert Gorman; NG-Josh Ockimey.