Tribute Page
Joe Parisi coached La Salle High's baseball team for 28 seasons (1986-2003,
2005-14), winning 453
games and nine championships (four Catholic, three City, two State). He won
his first crown in 1988 with a triumph over Neumann. Here is that story . . .
By Ted
Silary
The team
that went under together all season has won the Catholic League baseball
title together.
That team is La Salle, which yesterday surged past St. John Neumann, 5-2, at
Temple's Erny Field to claim its first baseball championship since 1959.
If you are wondering how the Explorers "went under together," rest assured
it had nothing to do with, say, scuba diving.
It had everything to do with hypnosis.
Meet Gabe Blanco, a first-year Spanish teacher at La Salle and a registered
hypnotist. When the championship jackets are ordered, tell the sporting
goods firm to slap a big "TH" on the left shoulder of Blanco's. For Team
Hypnotist.
Once a week, for about 15 minutes, the Explorers convened in a classroom.
Therein, they allowed Blanco to help them to learn, and apply, relaxation
techniques, and to think nothing but positive thoughts.
Sorry to disappoint, but the proceedings did not begin with Blanco swinging
a medallion and murmuring, "Your eyelids are getting heavy . . . You are
totally relaxed . . . You are falling into a deep sleep . . . When I count
to five, you will be . . . "
They started with the players and coaches slumping into chairs, taking deep
breaths and closing their eyes.
"The idea was to concentrate, just get into yourself," said junior
leftfielder Bill Watts, who was the game's most prominent star, with three
hits and a sensational catch to halt a third-inning Neumann rally. "Senor
Blanco would say things to make us feel relaxed, then talk about focusing on
how we hit or how we pitch.
"He'd say, 'Just play to the best of your ability. Don't worry about what
others want you to do. You have a good team. You're going to do well.
Visualize yourself making the play. Getting the hit. Throwing strikes.'
"Not all of us took it seriously at first. Some of us felt, 'It's a chance
to close our eyes, get a little rest. ' But as time went on, the guys
allowed it to work. They all said they felt good about it. I definitely feel
it had a positive impact on our season."
Joe Parisi, La Salle's third-year coach, permitted Blanco to become involved
with his team because he saw firsthand, and heard secondhand, that the
sessions were worthwhile.
"In my psychology class last fall," Parisi said, "I spent a week talking
about stress and stress management and relaxation techniques. With a
registered hypnotist on board, I thought it would be neat to have him come
in and talk with the kids. They loved it. It was all they talked about for
the next two days.
"Initially, his team involvement was with swimming. (Coach) Tony Amand
thought it was helpful from two standpoints - that the kids' times improved
and that they were better able to relax. Gabe offered to help with baseball,
and we've met regularly since."
Parisi then laughed and added, "I'm not sure hypnosis had a whole lot to do
with this, but we were winning games when we started and we kept winning
them, so . . . I'm superstitious.
"I can say, on a personal level, that the techniques have helped me relax,
though I guess no one could tell in the last four innings."
Hey, compared to the first three, the last four were a breeze.
Though La Salle scored three runs in the first and another in the second,
and a 4-0 lead sure seemed safe with senior righthander Gene Schall (12-1
record entering play) on the mound, Neumann made consternation-causing noise
of its own in the home third.
Jerry Lawson's double scored Jim Benatti with one out, Nick Brunetti's
single scored Lawson with two outs, and there was Schall, partially reeling.
Neumann pitcher Rob Carfagno, who would become a loser for the first time in
his high school career (14-1 total, 9-1 this year), then hammered a low
liner to left. Watts raced in, dove and made a "This Week in Baseball"
catch.
Thereafter, the Buccos advanced no one beyond second base. Not only did the
wind go out of their sails, their sails collapsed on the deck and suffocated
them.
Visualize yourself making the play.
"I thought I could get it," Watts said. "I've been struggling in the field.
I haven't been getting good jumps. I've been making catches in wacky ways.
Everybody looks and thinks, 'Good catch,' but I could have made it easier.
continued right below . . .
SEASON BY SEASON
Catholic League
1986: 5-11
1987: 10-6
1988: 13-3
1989: 13-3
1990: 11-5
1991: 10-6
1992: 11-5
1993: 11-3
1994: 11-3
1995: 5-9
1996: 10-4
1997: 11-7
1998: 14-4
1999: 15-3
2000: 14-4
2001: 15-3
2002: 13-5
2003: 13-5
2004: Sabbatical
2005: 12-2
2006: 12-2
2007: 15-6
2008: 10-4
2009: 9-5
2010: 8-6
2011: 8-4
2012: 12-0
2013: 11-4
2014: 12-3
Total:
314-125
Overall: 453-238
---
CATHOLIC LEAGUE TITLES
1988
1994
2005
2013
CITY TITLES
2012: 4A
2013:
4A
2013: 4A
STATE
TITLES
2012: 4A
2014: 4A
--
LINEUPS FOR CL CHAMPS
1988
Tony Cossetti, 2b
Jeff Peek, cf
Gene Schall, p
Tom Poehlmann, 3b
Jack Stanczak, rf
Bill Watts, lf
Ed Weber, c
Chris Massella, ss
Terry Burke, 1b
1994
Ryan Harrington, lf
Tim Gannon, 3b
Don Quinn, 2b
Kevin Kline, p
Jaime Cevallos, ss
Bill Hartman, rf
Frank Colucci, c
Frank Grosso, 1b
Chris Clayton, cf
2005
Mike Villari, cf
Tom Lyons, 2b
Steve Ullrich, lf
Mike Pennington, 3b
Will Phillips, ss
Zac Hess, 1b
Bill Warrender, rf
Nick Manzi, dh
Sean Saverio, c
Matt Zielinski, p
2013
Joe Picard, lf
Jimmy Herron, cf
Chris Melillo, 1b
John Fabriziani, dh
Pete Auteri, rf
Dominic Cuoci, p
Nick Dermo, c
AJ Grezeszak, ss
Brad Schneider, 2b
Adam Arcadia, 3b
"I was going for it all the
way. (Centerfielder) Jeff Peek always tells me that if I want to go for
broke, he'll be there to back
me up. That play seemed to change the momentum."
It also allayed Schall's fears, and thrust him back on track.
"It reminded me not to be afraid to throw strikes, and that I didn't have
to do everything by myself," said Schall, who
yielded seven hits. "I knew I had a team behind me. All I had to do was let
the guys make the plays."
Schall, the coaches' Northern Division MVP bound for Villanova, singled
in La Salle's fourth run, in the second inning. He
also played a role in the three-run first.
That inning's sequence was: hit batsman (Peek) with one out, hard single
by Schall through the left side, bloop single to left
by Tom Poehlmann to load the bases, a balk by Carfagno to score Peek, a
sacrifice fly by Jack Stanczak to score Schall and
another bloop single to left to score Poehlmann.
In all, Carfagno yielded 12 hits before switching to first base after 5
2/3 innings. Five, at best, resulted from hard contact.
Carfagno, starting on three days' rest (after pitching once a week all
season), clearly was not sharp. But La Salle made him
bleed by dumping flares in front of outfielders who were playing too deeply.
In the seventh inning, Neumann showed only a hint of life, and that was
with help (a one-out throwing error by third
baseman Poehlmann). Then, Schall made a great stop on Lawson's hopper and
gave sophomore shortstop Chris Massella the
chance to serve as the pivotman on a game-ending, 1-6-3 doubleplay.
Finally, the Explorers were able to fully relax, right?
Wrong. They were too keyed up, but don't tell Gabe Blanco.
"The sessions we had were always before practice," Schall said, "and I
did notice that they helped me head for the field in a
good frame of mind. I'm sure that, eventually, that feeling transferred over
to game day.
"When Senor Blanco said he had helped other teams win championships
(before coming to La Salle), that really caught
people's attention. And now, here we are, winning a championship. What he
did for us must have helped somewhat."
TITLE TIDBITS: Neumann's last title was in 1960 (10-2 over Judge).
The Buccos lost in '67 (2-1 to Judge) and '86
(13-7 to North) . . . La Salle started five juniors (Tony Cossetti, Jeff
Peek, Jack Stanczak, Bill Watts, Ed Weber) and a
sophomore (Chris Massella) . . . The South has won only one title this
decade (O'Hara in '83) . . . La Salle first baseman
Terry Burke made scoops all day on low pickoff and infield-grounder throws .
. . Neumann coach Sal Intelisano: "Rob's
(Carfagno) arm was still tender until yesterday. He didn't have his normal
stuff, but he gave us a great effort."
--
This story was written in 1994 after
the Explorers won the CL championship,
over their big rival, thanks to a large, late comeback . . .
By Ted Silary
La Salle High's
baseball team did more than win the Catholic League championship.
It saved Chris Clayton lasting heartache.
Clayton, a junior, starts in centerfield for the Explorers. He has good
speed all the time and good hands most of the
time.
But in the bottom of the sixth inning yesterday at La Salle University,
Clayton dropped Drew McCormick's deep drive
or a four-base error. Three runs scored and St. Joseph's Prep owned a 7-4
lead en route to what it was hoping would
be its very first baseball title.
As McCormick circled the bases, The Prep's numerous and boisterous fans
exploded in glee. All game, they had
shown more exuberance than La Salle's rooters. They were happy to rejoice
with extra force as their fellow private
school, their Thanksgiving football rival, experienced agony.
As the noise continued, La Salle pitcher Kevin Kline, before giving way
to lefthander Roger Burns and moving to
shortstop, tossed his glove to the grass in a combination of frustration,
disgust and amazement. Clayton stood in center,
counting the eyeholes in his spikes and dreading the return to the dugout.
"I thought I'd lost it. I thought it was over," Clayton said.
Not by a long shot. Not by a medium shot. Not by any shot.
The Explorers scored seven - count 'em, seven - runs in the top of the
inning to take an 11-7 lead. Then they held on
to win, 11-8, although coach Joe Parisi had to use two sophomore pitchers,
Bill Murphy and Mike Wilkin, in the frame.
"Character!" Parisi roared at game's end. "That's all this was,
character. "
If reporters didn't hear Parisi the first time, they had many more
opportunities.
"I know I probably said it a hundred times," Parisi said later, "but this
team showed character all year. They don't have
as much talent as my other championship team (in 1988), but it certainly has
the most" - brace yourself, here it comes
again - "character of any team I've coached. "
After Clayton made a sprawling catch to end the disastrous sixth, he was
greeted by almost everyone as he approached
the dugout.
"They were saying not to worry," Clayton said. "They were saying, 'We can
come back. We've been doing it all year.'
At first I didn't believe them . . . Then I did start to believe them."
That happened when the first five batters reached base. When leadoff man
Ryan Harrington hit a hard groundball to
third baseman Bill Moule, a game- ending doubleplay appeared possible as
Moule immediately stepped on third. But the
throw by Moule, who showed incredible brass by playing with a broken right
hand throughout The Prep's four-game
playoff run, was way wide of first baseman Mark Mooradian and Bill Hartman
checked in with the tying run.
The last four runs scored on a two-run, inside-outed double along the
leftfield line by second baseman Donny Quinn
and a two-run double by Kline high off the fence in left-center.
"We couldn't get out of the inning," lamented Steve Bongard, The Prep's
first-year coach. "We couldn't finish."
Said Parisi: "In the dugout before we batted, everybody was saying,
'Remember Dougherty . . . Remember Ryan . . .
emember McDevitt . . . Remember Judge. ' We beat those four teams with
last-inning rallies in the middle of an
eight-game league winning streak. It wasn't like we hadn't come from behind
before."
Neither was it like La Salle marched to the title in a carefree manner.
Late in the regular season, two key starters and
the then-No. 1 pitcher were dismissed from the team for Senior Prom Night
indiscretions.
Parisi declined comment on the effect of the subtractions, except to say,
''That was another reason I talked about
character so much."
For Quinn, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI and scored three runs, his
contact on his final at-bat was his weakest of the
game.
"That wasn't exactly what I wanted to do there," he said, smiling, "but
it counts as a hit. When it fell in, it felt like a
person jumped off my back."
Said Kline: "That broke their backs. I know what that can do to you, to
make a good pitch and have a hit fall in.
Disheartening."
Kline went 3-for-4 with a walk, three doubles and three RBI.
"I felt comfortable at the plate," he understated.
Kline had gone the distance last Saturday when La Salle edged Father
Judge, 5-4, to win the Northern Division title.
"He had three days' rest after throwing only 100 pitches," Parisi said.
''Sorry. You don't get into this situation often
enough to go with your No. 2 pitcher."
In The Prep's seventh, Murphy stayed around long enough to surrender one
run on three walks, a wild pitch and two
groundouts. With the count 2-0 on Mike Chiliberti, Parisi scurried to the
mound and summoned Kline from shortstop.
However, he was told by plate umpire Pete DeIuliis that under National
League rules, which the Catholic League uses
(with exceptions), a pitcher who moves to another position on a second trip
of an inning cannot return to the mound
later on. Gene Otto, the CL's supervisor of umpires, backed DeIuliis. After
a long delay, Parisi went with Wilkin, who
had appeared in only one previous league game.
With the count 3-1, Chiliberti flied to leftfielder Harrington.
The Explorers raced to the area behind the mound, pretended that it was a
phone booth, and stuffed themselves into
it. That no one got crushed was a miracle.
This story was written after Joe
guided La Salle to its second state title in three
years, in what turned out to be his final game . . .
By Aaron Carter
One day, he's driving home the game-winning runs in the Class AAAA state
championship game and the next, La Salle
High junior Brian Buckley is headed to the United States Military Academy at
West Point to learn about life as a cadet.
As far as fulfilling goals and realizing dreams go, Buckley won the
weekend.
The 6-foot, 208-pound Huntingdon Valley resident, sprayed a liner up the
middle with the bases loaded in yesterday's
eighth inning, plating two runs and pushing the Explorers toward a 4-2
triumph over feisty Conestoga at Medlar Field
at Lubrano Park.
Today, Buckley will begin West Point's Summer Leadership Experience, a
2-week program where high school
juniors engage in academic, athletic, military and social experiences at the
USMA.
"We're big Army people," said Buckley, who is interested in engineering.
"They'll teach you what Army life is like,
especially the military training. I'm looking forward to it."
His older sister, Margaret, is a freshman rugby player at Army. Buckley
also said his late grandfather, John
Poehlmann, served in the Army.
With his hat browned by dirt, his jersey similarly soiled, and 5 o'clock
stubble shadowing his face, Buckley certainly
looked the part.
"I don't know, I just like to get dirty," he said. "I like to give 100
percent and, on a day like this, it's not hard."
The District 12 top-dog Explorers (21-6), who also won the state title in
2012, nabbed early momentum with a 2-0
lead through three innings after senior Dom Cuoci (2-for-4, RBI) drove in
junior Jimmy Herron in the first and Herron
lofted a sac fly in the third.
Speaking of summer leadership experience, Cuoci (9-1) has that in spades.
On 3 days' rest, the Catholic League Red
Division MVP and Pitcher of the Year, grinded through seven innings,
scattered eight hits and gave up two earned runs
for the victory.
During the week, it was unclear whether Cuoci, who is typically affable
but legendarily quiet on pitching days, would
start.
About an hour before the first pitch, Lorenzo Cuoci wasn't sure of his
son's status, but had a suspicion.
"He's only said seven words to me in the last 2 days, so, I think he
might be," Lorenzo Cuoci said before the game.
The last four words were: "Love you, too, Dad."
"It's just a focus thing for me," said Cuoci, whose voice was low,
lifeless. "I love being upbeat with the guys, but they
respect it when I'm quiet. I'm trying to get into a zone."
The District 1 No. 3-seeded Pioneers (20-8) made that tough, rallying
with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings
to tie the game at two.
"I'm worn out, man," Cuoci said. "They took everything out of me . . .
They made me work the hardest I've worked
all year. "
Junior Brandon Little, a North Carolina recruit, pitched seven innings in
defeat, but allowed only an earned run on
four hits. Both teams committed two errors.
Seniors Tom Richter (RBI) and Max Dolente each went 2-for-4. Brandon
Ruffenach added the other RBI.
And after poor execution helped squander a two-on, no-out opportunity in
the seventh inning, it appeared the
Explorers' improbable playoff run was in jeopardy.
When it lost to Roman Catholic in the Catholic League playoffs, La Salle
became eligible for PIAA play (because of
the league's point system) only after Ss. Neumann-Goretti defeated the
Cahillites for the CL crown.
"They had every right to pack it in after losing in the [CL] playoffs,"
head coach Joe Parisi said. "And having people
tell them how lucky there were to be in the playoffs. Well, guess what? You
can't be lucky and do what we did today.
These are really good players, great kids and some of the most enjoyable
kids around."
Senior Brad Schneider walked to start the eighth and was followed by
singles from Herron and Cuoci. After a
groundout, Buckley smoked the game-winner on an 0-2 count.
"I've had so many runners on all year and haven't hit them in," he said,
"but finally, in a big moment, got 'em in
- finally."
A good way to start the weekend for the 4.08 GPA student, who said he
doesn't have any serious interest from
Army yet, but plans to attend the school, anyway.
"It's a great feeling," Buckley said. "No other feeling in the world like
it. Being out [of the CL playoffs] and then
winning a state championship - it's great, it's great."
Below are the players who earned first or second team Coaches' All-Catholic honors during
Joe
Parisi's 28
seasons (1986-2003, 2005-2014) as the coach at La Salle.
*-Division MVP
Pos.
FIRST TEAM
Year
Pos.
FIRST TEAM
Year
Pos.
SECOND TEAM
Year
OF
Gene Schall
1987
IF
Pat Riley
2003
OF
Rich DeVincent
1986
P
Duke Wolpert
1987
OF
*Dan Waters
2003
C
Dave Wolpert
1987
3B
Tom Poehlmann
1988
P
*Dan Waters
2003
OF
Jack Stanczak
1988
OF
Gene Schall
1988
INF
Mike Pennington
2005
P
Jack Stanczak
1988
P
Gene Schall
1988
OF
Mike Villari
2005
2B
Tony Cossetti
1989
1B
Jack Stanczak
1989
P
*Matt Zielinski
2005
SS
Chris Massella
1989
OF
Drew Shire
1989
INF
Will Phillips
2006
C
Ed Weber
1989
P
Jack Stanczak
1989
OF
Bill Warrender
2006
OF
Jeff Peek
1989
IF
Chris Massella
1990
OF
Mike Villari
2006
P
Chuck Malloy
1990
OF
Roger Harrington
1990
C
Sean Saverio
2006
DH
Joe McNichol
1990
IF
John Butler
1991
P
Matt Zielinski
2006
OF
Joe McNichol
1991
C
Shawn O'Brien
1991
DH
Jared Carter
2006
OF
Scott Halstead
1992
OF
Roger Harrington
1991
OF
Matt Howard
2007
P
Matt Wright
1992
OF
*Roger Harrington
1992
C
Sean Saverio
2007
DH
Andy Wallace
1992
P
Dan Fritz
1992
P
Shawn O'Neill
2007
C
Barry Lopeten
1994
1B
Kevin Olender
1993
P
Matt Day
2007
OF
Tim Erb
1994
IF
Bob Ball
1993
P
Shawn O'Neill
2008
P
Roger Burns
1994
P
Dan Fritz
1993
INF
Tyler Freeman
2009
P
Kevin Kline
1994
IF
Kevin Kline
1994
OF
Joe Aloia
2009
1B
Drew Middlemiss
1997
IF
Ryan Harrington
1995
OF
Joe Aloia
2009
IF
John Malara
1997
IF
Jaime Cevallos
1995
P
Shawn O'Neill
2009
OF
Jeff Pietrak
1997
1B
Drew Middlemiss
1996
INF
Colin Pyne
2010
P
Paul Grevy
1997
C
Pat Gorman
1996
1B
*Joe Forcellini
2011
1B
Adam Richards
1998
OF
Jeff Pietrak
1996
INF
Colin Pyne
2011
1B
Adam Richards
1998
P
Paul Grevy
1996
C
Corey Baiada
2011
IF
John Malara
1998
C
Ed Bongard
1997
P
Nick Burns
2011
C
Ed Bongard
1998
OF
Jeff Pietrak
1998
INF
Colin Pyne
2012
IF
Keith Olender
1999
P
Mike Mattern
1998
OF
Tyler Kozeniewski
2012
IF
Drew Santillo
1999
IF
John Malara
1999
C
*Corey Baiada
2012
OF
Jim Lyons
1999
P
Pat Salvitti
1999
P
Kevin Long
2012
1B
Chris Dougherty
2000
P
Keith Olender
1999
1B
Chris Melillo
2013
OF
Ryan Parfitt
2000
IF
Bryan Harvey
2000
OF
Jimmy Herron
2013
1B
Dan Buckley
2001
OF
Matt Michel
2000
P
Dom Cuoci
2013
C
Chris Jeffers
2001
P
Bryan Harvey
2000
INF
*Dominic Cuoci
2014
IF
Pat Riley
2002
IF
*John Reifsnyder
2001
OF
Jimmy Herron
2014
OF
Mark D'Angelo
2002
OF
Ryan Parfitt
2001
OF
Ryan Coonahan
2014
P
John Reifsnyder
2002
P
*John Reifsnyder
2001
C
Nick Dermo
2014
IF
Andrew Carnevale
2003
IF
John Reifsnyder
2002
P
*Dominic Cuoci
2014
P
Dave Achey
2003
OF
*Dan Waters
2002
P
John Scheffey
2014
OF
Steve Ullrich
2005
C
Chris Jeffers
2002
P
T.J. Foley
2006
P
*Dan Waters
2002
INF
Tyler Freeman
2008
P
Matt Day
2008
1B
Sean Abbott
2009
OF
AJ Rodriguez
2010
C
TJ Burgmann
2010
INF
Jules Arici
2011
OF
Tyler Kozeniewski
2011
1B
Chris Melillo
2012
INF
Mike Piscopo
2012
P
Dom Cuoci
2012
INF
Dom Cuoci
2013
OF
Pete Auteri
2013
C
John Fabriziani
2013
P
Tom Cockill
2013
1B
Brian Buckley
2014
INF
Brad Schneider
2014
--
Recaps of Wins in Catholic League
Championship Games
1988
At Temple's Erny Field
La Salle 5, Neumann 2
Gene Schall pitched a seven-hitter with six strikeouts and
went 2-for-4 with an RBI. The Explorers rolled to a 4-0 lead after 1 1/2
innings. Centerfielder Bill Watts went 3-for-4 with an RBI and made a
sensational diving catch in left-center to limit Neumann to two runs in
the third (after RBI hits by Jerry Lawson and Nick Brunetti).
1994
At La Salle University
La Salle 11, SJ Prep 8
Trailing by 7-4, the Explorers scored seven runs in the
visiting seventh as Donny Quinn (3-for-5) and Kevin Kline (3-for-4,
three RBI) had consecutive two-run doubles for the final four runs. In
the home sixth, Drew McCormick's deep drive had been dropped for a
four-base error that yielded three runs. Roger Burns pitched one-third
of an inning for the win. With The Prep stirring heavily in the home
seventh (one run in, two out, two on), La Salle coach Joe Parisi tried
to return Kevin Kline to the mound from shortstop. A rules technicality
prevented that move, so soph Mike Wilkin came in and assumed a 2-0 count
against Mike Chiliberti. A flyout ended it.
2005
At La Salle University
La Salle 4, Conwell-Egan 3
Junior lefthander Matt Zielinski
pitched perfect ball through five innings and finished with nine
strikeouts in a four-hitter. C-E's Chris David opened the sixth with a
double off the leftfield fence and later scored on Joe Jordan's infield
single. The seventh began with Rich Dupell's single and Matt Burns'
homer over the fence in the leftfield corner. After a visit from coach
Joe Parisi, who told him to retire the next three batters and expressed
confidence that he would, Zielinski did just that on a strikeout, popout
and fly to centerfielder Mike Villari (3-for-3, RBI, run scored). La
Salle scored two apiece in the first and fourth. Will Phillips'
sacrifice fly and a wild pitch plated two unearned runs in the first.
Sean Saverio and Villari had RBI singles in the fourth.
2013
At Widener University
La Salle 10, SJ Prep 0 (5 inn.)
In the teams' fifth meeting of the season, played on Saturday of
Memorial Day Weekend in wicked winds and chilly temps, the Explorers
finalized a 3-2 edge on the strength of five runs apiece in the fourth
and fifth innings. This was the first year of a double-elimination
format. Prep won two of the three regular season meetings, then La Salle
triumphed twice in a five-day period to avoid game No. 6. Working on
three days' rest, Dominic Cuoci allowed one hit -- Shane Williams'
fourth inning single -- and recorded 12 groundball outs. La Salle's
first run scored on Jimmy Herron's RBI single to third base. Literally.
The ball bounced off the bag. Chris Melillo and John Fabriziani
(game-ender) stroked RBI hits in each uprising. This was coach Joe
Parisi's fourth CL crown (also '88, '94 and '05). The Prep's boss was
Joe Falcone, a former La Salle assistant and even the head coach in '04
when Parisi enjoyed a sabbatical.
--
Recaps of Wins in City Titles
2012
Class 4A
At Richie Ashburn Field
La Salle 14, Frankford 1 (6 inn.)
Looking into a noonday sun (the game started at 12:17), shortstop
Ricky Alvarez was unable to catch an opening popup. Four walks and a
sac fly later, La Salle owned a 3-0 lead and all hints of drama took the
afternoon off. Corey Baiada bagged three RBI while P.J. Acierno, Chris
Melillo and Tyler Kozeniewski thirded six. Dom Cuoci allowed three hits
and whiffed five and Frankford�s run was unearned. The game was
emotional for Frankford coach Juan Namnun and La Salle assistant Bob
Peffle, who starred at Frankford and experienced major coaching success
there with Namnun as his chief assistant.
2013
Class 4A
At Richie Ashburn Field
La Salle 8, Frankford 0
Tom Cockill walked none, fanned one and got 15 of his outs thanks
to groundballs while scattering six hits. Joe Picard (double) and Brad
Schneider (single) lashed hits worth two RBI apiece and AJ Grezeszak
went 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored.
2014
Class 4A
At Richie Ashburn Field
La Salle 16, Washington 1 (5 inn.)
Ryan Coonahan's two-run single was the most productive of six hits
in the Explorers' 11-run second. There were also five walks and a
plunking. Jimmy Herron finished 2-for-2 with a walk, sacrifice fly and
two RBI. Joe Scheffey (three innings) and Joe "Cardinal" Krol shared the
pitching. In GW's fourth, Ishmael Bracy singled, Scott Siley doubled and
Eddie Tingle lofted a sac fly to center.
--
Recap of Win in State Final
2012
Class 4A
At Penn State
La Salle 3, Council Rock South 1
Kevin Long allowed hits to South's second and third batters, then
a passed ball put runners on second and third. He escaped unscathed and
wound up twirling a three-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk as
the Explorers became the first CL squad to win a state baseball title.
The RBI went to Colin Pyne, Mike Piscopo and Dom Cuoci on singles and
Corey Baiada started the two-run fourth with a double. South scored on a
three-base error followed by a sac fly. Discounting one shaky inning,
Long fashioned a 1.11 ERA through the playoffs (2.17 total).
2014
Class 4A
At Penn State
La Salle 4, Conestoga 2 (8 inn.)
Working on three days' rest, Dominic Cuoci became eligible to earn
the win when Brian Buckley lined a two-run single to center in the
visiting eighth. John Scheffey posted the save with a 1-2-3 bottom half.
The state title was the Explorers' second in three years and, as in
2012, they rebounded after falling short for Catholic League honors.
Buckley finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI and twice made strong
plays at first base to prevent throwing errors. Cuoci (single) and Jimmy
Herron (sac fly) had the Explorers' earlier RBI. Cuoci allowed eight
hits (three did not leave the infield) and two walks (one intentional)
while striking out two.
eastern test