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Christ the King outmuscles St. Edmund, 17-11

By Anthony Bosco

Christ the King head coach Walter Tuthill called his team’s Saturday victory over St. Edmund Prep “a pitchers’ duel,” but the contest, won by the Royals, 17-11, was anything but.

Starter Kenny Van Brunt struggled from the outset for the Queens team, blowing an early 2-0 lead and giving up seven runs in the bottom first inning during the game played at Seaview Park on Rockaway Parkway in Brooklyn.

“He struggled the whole way,” Tuthill said of his starter, who was pitching on just three days rest. “We were struggling with our pitching that day, so I stuck with him. I knew we’d score some runs.”

Van Brunt went on to pitch 6 1/3 innings before giving way to sophomore closer Elvin Millan, who got the last two outs of the game, securing a win for the Royals.

After the shaky first inning, Van Brunt settled down long enough for the Royals to get back into the game. Trailing 7-4 in the third, Joe Amato smacked a bases-loaded one-out double that cleared the bases and tied the game at 7-7.

The Royals took the lead in the following inning, when Rafael Lajar, who had a home run, a double and four RBIs, drove in Marcos Vazquez, who had a single, to put CK ahead, 8-7.

The team never trailed again, as Christ the King scored four more runs in the fifth to put the game away.

Abel Sanchez also had two doubles and three RBIs for the Royals, who improved to 16-6 overall and 6-5 in league play with the victory. The team is currently behind Xaverian, Archbishop Molloy and St. Francis Prep in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan standings.

St. Francis Prep 7, Holy Cross 6. The Terriers raised their record to 13-7 overall and 8-4 in league play with a win over cross-town rivals Holy Cross this past week. Brian Forman singled in Jason Leberfeld to break a 6-6 tie in the fifth to secure the win for Prep.

Archbishop Molloy 5, Monsignor McClancy 2. The Stanners got a stellar outing on the mound from starter Matt Bunyan, who struck out seven, walked one and allowed just five hits. Offensively, Keith Hahn led the charge with two hits, including a home run, and four RBIs. Molloy improved to 13-3 overall and 10-2 in league play with the win.

Bishop Ford 9. St. John’s Prep 0. For the second time in less than a week Bishop Ford dominated the Red Storm, as pitcher Jason Santan fanned 12 and gave up two hits. Ford remained perfect in league play with the win, improving to 8-0.

Bishop Ford 11, St. John’s Prep 2. The Red Storm scratched out just three hits against starter Matt Biondo. Anthony Fonti had three hits as Ford clinched first place.

Xaverian 2, Christ the King 0. Starter Danny Chistensen recorded 14 strikeouts and allowed just three hits as the Clippers maintained sole possession of first place with the win last week. John DeFendis drove in the game’s only two runs with a triple in the sixth.

Cathedral Prep 14, Bishop Loughlin 1. The Crusaders were led by Kevin McGrath, who struck out 10 and allowed no hits in this league game last week. Tommy McCabe had a two-run triple in the win, as Cathedral improved to 4-2 in CHSAA B action.

Archbishop Molloy 5, St. Francis Prep 3. The Stanners edged the Terriers last week, as Matt Rizzotti led the way with two hits and two RBIs for the winners. John Shipman got credit for the save.

Christ the King 7, Holy Cross 5. Millan gave the Royals three strong innings of relief in the league win last week.

Reach Sports Editor Anthony Bosco by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 130.