Super-soph
sparks Vikings

By Joe Mason
For the Times

At the start of the season, Brian Susten just wanted to make the varsity baseball team.
On Monday, he just wanted to help his Northeast High School teammates advance to the semifinals.
Susten could use a new goal.
The left-handed sophomore hurled a complete game and drove in a pair of first-inning runs to help Northeast down Thomas Edison, 5-2, in a Public League quarterfinal game.
"The hit, that was kind of luck," Susten said of his blooper that found a soft spot in Edison’s outfield. "The pitching, I kind of knew I had to throw well if we wanted a shot to win."
Northeast coach Sam Feldman, whose teams have advanced to the Public League semifinals throughout his seven years as skipper, decided to use Susten instead of franchise hurler Joe Breitweiser.
The thinking: Keep Breitweiser around for the semifinal game.
And that will feature Northeast against Central in a rematch of last year’s semifinal meeting. As the Times went to press this week, it was scheduled to be Game 2 of a May 24 doubleheader at Ashburn Field, situated behind the Wachovia Center in South Philly.
"Joe is a great pitcher," said Susten, who starts at first base when he’s not on the mound. "It made sense to use me and see what we can do without him today, and then we have him around for Thursday.
"I was really nervous before the game, but as the game went on, I got a little more confident," he added. "By the end, I felt really good out there. I was throwing pretty good today."
Northeast, which finished Public League A Division play at 10-4, relied heavily on Breitweiser to lead the way this year. But the team also needed a reliable No. 2, and that’s where Susten came in.
"Last year I played JV and I really wanted to make the (varsity) team this year," the Rhawnhurst resident said. "This year, when I made the team, I was really happy. We have five starting sophomores, so this was a fun year."
It also means the future is bright.
"If we keep working, we can be good for the next two years," he said. "But right now we just want to beat Central. I honestly think we can do it, but it’s going to be tough. Central is a really good team, but if we make the plays and Joe pitches well, we can win."

In other games:
Frankford, 15, Franklin Towne Charter, 0: The Pioneers ended the May 21 game with no outs in the third inning, thanks in part to an 11-run frame.
Pioneers pitcher Edwin "Tito" Rohena allowed two hits in three innings, while Kevin Roche sparked the offense with three hits and six RBIs.
"Look, we played well today," said Frankford coach Bob Peffle, who coached his final game at his home stadium as he looks toward retirement at the end of the year. "Tito threw well, we hit the ball and we made plays."
Franklin Towne Charter, which finished Public League B Division play, struggled against the Public League A Division winners. But they still had a strong showing this year.
"They made a couple of errors, but they’re a good team," Peffle said. "We played a very good game today and we did a lot of things the right way.
"This is exactly where you want to be, going into the semifinals," he continued. "You want to be playing your best at this time of the year."
Like Northeast, Frankford will see a familiar foe in the semifinals.
For the second year in a row, Frankford will meet GAMP for the right to go to the championship game. The game was scheduled to open Thursday’s doubleheader in South Philadelphia. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
"We hope to continue to play well," Peffle said. "We still have (Public League most valuable player) "Shortie" (Meletiche) ready to go, and Tito only threw three innings today, so we’re in good shape."
GAMP, 7, George Washington, 1: The Eagles got an RBI from Damien Wilmer in the final inning, but it wasn’t enough to win the Public League quarterfinal game on May 21.
SOFTBALL
Little Flower, 10, Archbishop Carroll, 2: Melissa Benson blasted a home run, Michelle Donnelly, Brittany Racek, Jamie Shackles and Amber Kelly supplied doubles, and Maggie Reifsnyder earned the win to pace the Sentinels in the Catholic League Southern Division quarterfinal game on May 21.
St. Hubert, 3, Archbishop Ryan, 0: Mary Hoch spun a two-hitter to pace the Bambies in the Catholic League Northern Division semifinal on May 21.
The Bambies meet the Sentinels’ in the Catholic League semifinal on Thursday (May 24) at 5 p.m. at Arcadia University.
Nazareth Academy, 6, Villa Joseph Marie, 3: Erica Cipolloni hit a home run and Emily Gryzwna won the championship game for Nazareth on May 21. ••
Joe Mason can be reached at joemason70@hotmail.com