Goldey-Beacom improbably scored four runs in the last of the ninth inning to win game two of its best-of-three, first-round series in the CACC Tournament from Holy Family, 6-5, and complete a two-game sweep.
The second-seeded Lightning opened things with a 19-3 triumph over the seventh-seeded Tigers in game one.
Goldey-Beacom (31-20) is off to championship weekend of the CACC Tournament for the third time in the last four seasons and will face either No. 6 seed Chestnut Hill or third-seeded Jefferson next Thursday, May 7. The latter two schools on Friday split the opening two games of their first-round series and on Saturday will play the decider.
Down 5-2 entering in the ninth inning of game two, the Lightning got the first two runners on with freshman Shawn Roy (New Castle, DE) and junior Trey Mason (Germantown, MD) each drawing walks. Two batters later, junior Bobby Stewart (Newark, DE) cracked a one-out single to load the bases.
Senior Joey Current (Denver, PA) walked to make it 5-3 and chase Mitchell Bayles in favor of Daniel Guntherberg. The latter was greeted with a ground ball from sophomore Roman Keith (Selbyville, DE) in which Current beat out at second base. Mason scored anyway to make it 5-4, but the fact there still was one out would prove vital.
Sophomore Zach Smethers (Nazareth, PA) was up and never had to take the bat off his shoulder. Guntherberg uncorked a wild pitch that plated Stewart for a 5-5 tie and Smethers was intentionally walked to load the bases and create a force.
That force never happened. Sophomore Jake Macey (Smyrna, DE) stepped in and drove one to center field that Stephen Furia caught, but his throw looking to erase Current went awry and the Lightning had their only lead of the game.
Senior Connor Blence (Downingtown, PA) again was great on the mound in yet another no-decision, striking out seven over seven innings. Mechanicsburg, PA senior Nate Miller (4-4) pitched the ninth inning for his 14th career win, tying the school record he now shares with Anthony DiMartino (2019-23) and Mitch Guerrieri (2018-22).
Ryan McLaughlin was outstanding for Holy Family (23-27) and deserved better, striking out 10 over 6 1/3 innings in a tough no-decision.
Game one had zero drama. Stewart notched a career-best six RBI and cracked a grand slam, his 15th career home run which puts him tied with Marlon Lindsey Jr. (2022-23) for eighth in team annals.
Freshman Kaden Barmer (Edgewood, MD) rapped four hits to tie his season best with Stewart, Smethers and sophomore Brent Williams (Woodstown, NJ) getting three apiece. Pennsauken, NJ senior Kory Williams (7-2) struck out nine over eight innings, allowing an unearned run and just one walk.
This was Holy Family's first appearance in the CACC Tournament.
