by Jonathan Vander Lugt

Needing a win to remain in the driver’s seat for the Inter-Ac championship, Springside Chestnut Hill lost heartbreaker to Malvern Prep Tuesday, 4-3 in eight innings. SCH went into the seventh up 3-0, but a two-run home run and a single when the Friars were down to their last strike tied it. The Blue Devils dropped their season-ender to the Episcopal Academy Friday, 5-2 to land at 5-5 in the league. Senior hurler Aidan Frye pitched seven against Malvern and figures to be an All Inter-Ac selection. Weather permitting, SCH will take on Cardinal O’Hara, Bonner-Prendergast and Springfield Township this week ahead of next week’s PAISAA (Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association) tournament.

Penn Charter split its slate to also finish 5-5, with a 10-8 over the Haverford School and a 3-2, eight-inning loss to Malvern Prep. Center fielder Michael Siani’s MLB draft stock remains as hot as ever, and the lithe center fielder will look to go somewhere late in the first round of the draft on June 4. Penn Charter plays Friends Central this week before looking ahead to next week’s PAISAAs.

Germantown Academy lost another pair: 5-2 to Episcopal Tuesday and 5-4 to Haverford on Friday. The Patriots finished last in the league with a 3-7 record, but GA nonetheless has shown growth. Only one of their losses came by more than three runs, and one of their wins came over league champ Malvern Prep. Like SCH, GA has a three-spot this week before their season-ending tournament: the Pats will duel Cheltenham, Conwell Egan Catholic and The Hill School before the week’s end.

Germantown Friends School dropped a tough one to Moorestown Friends on Thursday, 14-6. It was the four-five play-in for the rest of the Friends Schools League tournament, and GFS, per its public information has nothing scheduled prior to the PAISAAs save for an alumni game this Saturday.

La Salle College High School, now at 10-1 in the Philadelphia Catholic League after victories over Lansdale Catholic and Cardinal O’Hara, needs a win against Archbishop Wood Monday to clinch the PCL regular-season title. Archbishop Carroll is hot on their heels after defeating the Explorers a couple of weeks back, and sits in second place at 9-2. Regardless of the result, La Salle will be playing in the PCL Playoffs, which begin on Saturday. Unlike the rest of the area’s schools, La Salle (provided a good enough performance in the league tournament) will play in the PIAA championships, against public and other archdiocesan schools in the state.

Information from TedSilary.com was used in this article.