By Anthony Bosco
The Archbishop Molloy Stanners defeated the Christ the King Royals Monday afternoon, 5-1, keeping the team perfect in league play this season with a 5-0 record.
The win came one day before the Stanners were slated to square off against the only other unbeaten team in the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan, the Xaverian Clippers.
“We’re playing very well right now,” said Molloy coach Jack Curran. “It’s great.”
Starting pitcher Matt Feeley, a junior, went the distance for Molloy, allowing eight hits and just one walk, despite falling behind 1-0 early on. Molloy battled back in the third inning to take the lead for good.
Christ the King got on the board in the first inning when Rafael Castillo singled and scored on Norris Gordon’s double, but the lead would not last for long.
“We had eight hits, but not in the right places,” said CK coach Walter Tuthill.
Mike Vigorito’s two-RBI double off CK’s Leon Kruset gave the Stanners a 2-1 advantage, scoring Hasani Whitfield and Freddy Estes, which they would not surrender. Mike Vollaro added a sacrifice fly later in the inning for Molloy’s third run.
Anthony DiTroia and John Maser added an RBI single in the fourth to round out the Stanners’ scoring.
The Stanners are now 10-1 overall, while the Royals, who will play Xaverian Thursday, fall to 11-7 overall and 4-2 in league play.
Monsignor McClancy 8, St. Edmund 7. The Crusaders finally earned their first league win of the season, edging St. Edmund Monday afternoon. David Copello had three hits and scored three times for McClancy, now 1-8 in league play.
St. Francis Prep 7, Holy Cross 1. The Terriers topped cross-town rivals Monday, as Sylvester Gutierrez went deep and Mike Aglioloro added four hits, including a double and an RBI. St. Francis is now 4-3 in league play.
Xaverian 8, Christ the King 3. In a battle of unbeatens, the Xaverian Clippers topped the CK Royals Friday afternoon, raising the team’s league record to 5-0, while the Royals dipped to 4-1. Robert Fitje led Xaverian with four hits and two RBIs.
St. Francis Prep 15, Monsignor McClancy 5. Gutierrez was the catalyst for the Terriers in their league win Friday, belting a double, triple and home run while driving in four, raising the team’s league mark to an even 3-3.
Archbishop Molloy 8, Monsignor McClancy 1. Starting pitcher Phil Kuhner struck out nine while allowing just two hits and the Stanners cruised to their fourth league win without a loss. Mike Baxter, John Sikiric and Hasani Whitfield belted back-to-back-to-back jacks in the win Thursday afternoon.
Cathedral Prep 12, Bishop Loughlin 5. Brian McGrath provided the offense for the Crusaders, smacking three hits, including a home run, and driving in five for the team’s first league win. Cathedral is 9-3 overall and 1-1 in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens B Division.
Christ the King 5, McClancy 4. Norris Gordon scored on Rafael Castillo’s triple in the sixth inning for the winning run in this closely contested league battle last Wednesday. Castillo had three hits on the day.
Archbishop Molloy 11, St. Francis Prep 4. The Terriers fell to the Stanners last week, as both Mike Baxter and Mike Vollaro collected three hits and an RBI. Brian Bunyan got the win for Molloy.
Christ the King 12, St. Edmund 8. Danny Echevarri belted a grand slam and Omni Sanchez had three hits and drove in one for the Royals last Tuesday.
Reach Sports Editor Anthony Bosco by e-mail at TimesLedgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 130.
