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| Holy Cross’ Brian Parzyck (33) and Corey Fappiano (4) react to Fran Phelan Jr’s two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday. The Crusaders went on to stun the Falcons by a score of 4-3. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69) |
Holy Cross baseball could have just packed it in against St. Paul on Friday.
The Crusaders already had the top NVL tournament seed wrapped up, along with a good ranking in Class S. Holy Cross was also banged up, with several starters out due to injuries or illness. And for the first six innings on Friday, the Crusader offense was being shut out by Falcon starting pitcher Ethan Rembish. Holy Cross had its chances for sure, but Rembish found a way out every time.
The bottom of the seventh started with a strikeout by Rembish. The Crusaders were down to their final two outs, and trailing 3-0. Then Holy Cross started to string together a rally, and this time the rally bore fruit. When it was over, the Crusaders had claimed a stunning 4-3 walk-off victory on Austin Brown’s infield single with the bases loaded. Holy Cross finished the regular season at 18-2 and dropped St. Paul to 15-5.
From down and out to a celebration. How did it happen?
It started with back-to-back one-out singles by John Greene and Will Greene. Fran Phelan Jr. was up next, and he grounded an 0-1 pitch down the third base line. The ball went over the bag, just inside the line, into left field. Both Greenes scored, Phelan was on second with a double, and Holy Cross suddenly trailed by just a run at 3-2.
Connor Goggin, who threw a scoreless seventh in relief of Brown and Zach Lerner, was intentionally walked. St. Paul’s intent was to set up a double play, but that idea was gone with a wild pitch. Brian Parzyck hit a grounder up the middle that found its way to the edge of the infield dirt. Phelan hustled home with the tying run, and Goggin stopped at third.
The Falcons walked Corey Fappiano to load the bases and set up a force at any base. Brown was the next batter, and he hit a grounder deep in the hole between short and third. Goggin scored and Holy Cross had pulled off the incredible comeback win.
Brown went from struggling on the mound as a starter to finishing the game off with a big hit. It was quite the turnaround, and one that him and his teammates celebrated.
For St. Paul, it was a tough loss to swallow. The Falcons had built a lead and used Rembish and their defense to stay ahead. St. Paul took advantage of Holy Cross errors and walks to build a 2-0 lead. The first run scored on an error, the second on a groundball that followed three walks. Ryan Greene added an insurance run in the top of the seventh with an RBI single.
Rembish had allowed four hits through six innings. He had worked around those hits, plus four walks, and struck out six. Rembish picked up his seventh strikeout to start the seventh, but Holy Cross got its offense going and knocked him out. Julian Thayer came on after the Phelan double, but couldn’t slow the Crusaders down.
Both teams are scheduled to begin play in the NVL Tournament next Tuesday.
GALLERY: Here are my photos from Friday’s game.
