STATE COLLEGE — Down 6-2, the St. Joseph’s Wolves were running out of opportunities to stage a comeback at Teener Field. The Neumann Golden Knights had exploded for four runs in the top of the fourth, capitalizing on St. Joseph’s pitching mistakes.
St. Joseph’s head coach Greg Herman decided to bring in Camdem Burris in relief, and the youngster pitched lights out. The Wolves, scoring one run in the fourth and fifth innings before scoring three in the sixth, completed the comeback by rallying behind their pitcher for a 7-6 victory.
Burris turned in an outstanding performance, posting four innings of work, seven strikeouts and no runs allowed. Burris knew what he had to do on the mound to help his team fight back.
“I knew I had to come in and limit the damage,” Burris said. “The two-seam was working good today, bringing it up, and the curveball was working well.”
The Wolves (1-1) began the contest with an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Jack Mangene led off with a double and scored the game’s first run on a wild pitch by Neumann’s Jaiden Cioffi.
Three batters later, Ben Macafee reached base on a walk. Then, Dylan Broderick drove him in on an RBI-single.
The Golden Knights answered in the third inning when Josiah Reid singled to open up the frame. After moving around the diamond courtesy of a passed ball and a ground out to second, Reid was able to score on a wild pitch to cut the deficit in half.
Neumann looked to add more runs in the inning, but a well-executed 6-4-3 double play ended its attempt.
The top of the fourth came, and St. Joseph’s starting pitcher Cole Bernier was pulled after allowing three consecutive Neumann base runners. Before Burris took to the rubber, Logan Bernier was called upon to hold the Golden Knights, but did not record an out.
The Golden Knights would go on to score their five runs, three of which came on wild pitches. Burris shut the door immediately on Neumann, ending the rally and striking out two.
After collecting runs in each of the following innings, the Wolves found themselves down 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth. Broderick led off the inning by taking one for the team, getting hit by a pitch.
The next batter, Burris, drew a base on balls, putting pressure on relief pitcher Kyle Ferguson. The next play would change the game in favor of the Wolves.
Matt Steyers laid down a sacrifice bunt, hoping to move his teammates over to second and third with just one out. But, Ferguson fielded the ball and threw it over the head of his first baseman, allowing Broderick and Burris to score and tie the game at six.
Mangene stepped up to the plate and connected on a single to give his team the go-ahead run. Burris finished what he had started, striking out two in the top of the seventh to seal the win.
Herman was impressed with his team’s ability to stay in the game and complete the comeback.
“They don’t have any quit,” Herman said. “That was good to see. They fought until the end and we’re going to need that more times this year.”
