PLYMOUTH TWP. — Mount Carmel’s Johnangelo Salamone threw a complete game and the defense behind him turned three double plays against Roslyn in the first round of the Greater Norristown American Legion Baseball League playoffs.
Combine that with timely hitting in the middle innings and the third-seeded Mounties advanced into the winner’s bracket with a 6-1 win at Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth Thursday evening.
Mount Carmel will visit No. 2 Fort Washington Friday night in the winner’s bracket semifinals while No. 6 Roslyn hosts No. 7 Whitemarsh in an elimination game.
Salamone struck out four batters across seven innings while keeping his pitch count under 85. He scattered five hits, walked none and surrendered one run.
“My curveball was working for me the best,” Salamone said, “but here and there fastball, knuckleball.”
The right-hander got plenty of help from his defense. The Mounties turned three double plays and second baseman Chase Logan made the relay throw on all three.
The first was an inning-ender in the top of the second. With one out and a runner on first, Roslyn hit a grounder to shortstop. Matt Leary got the ball to Logan on second base and Logan turned it to first to end the frame.
Mount Carmel’s Matt Leary makes a play at shortstop against Roslyn during a Greater Norristown American Legion Baseball League playoff game, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Ed Morlock/MediaNews Group)
The second came in the third inning when Roslyn had runners on the corners with no outs. A fly ball to centerfield looked like it was going to be a sacrifice fly, but centerfielder Matt Spagna made the catch and quickly got the ball to Logan, who turned and fired home. Catcher Sam Stolzer applied the tag in front of the plate. The following batter grounded out to Logan at second to end the inning.
“Originally, I thought there was going to be zero chance that I had the guy at home plate,” Logan said, “but I looked up and our catcher Sam was calling, ‘four.’ I just turned around and threw it. (Stolzer) made a good pick on that, too. It was a good all-around play.”
The third double play was a grounder to third base. In the top of the fourth inning, third baseman Andrew Mocarsky fielded the ball, got the lead runner at second and Logan relayed it to first for the second out. Salamone ended the frame with a strikeout.
“The defense was amazing today,” Salamone said. “It was lockdown defense all throughout.”
“When the pitching is so dialed, like it was today, it’s a lot easier to make plays when he’s throwing a bunch of strikes,” Leary said. “It keeps you engaged in the game. You have to help him out when he’s helping us.”
The double play on the fly ball to centerfield shifted the momentum of the game. After Mount Carmel was able to keep the game scoreless in the top of the third, it pushed two runs across the plate in the bottom of the inning and led the rest of the way. Salamone worked a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on a Leary single. Leary moved to second on the throw to the plate, stole third and scored on a Brett Murphy sacrifice fly.
The Mounties added three more runs in the fourth inning. Mike Vernacchio had an RBI groundout before Salamone and Logan each had RBI singles to make it 5-1.
“As soon as someone gets one hit,” Leary, who was voted league MVP, said, “everybody in the dugout starts getting going and we start moving. Sometimes it takes a couple innings, but once we get going, we get going.”
Mocarsky’s sacrifice fly in fifth inning added another run to extend the lead to 6-1.
Mount Carmel’s Chase Logan slides safely into second base against Roslyn during a Greater Norristown American Legion Baseball League playoff game, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Ed Morlock/MediaNews Group)
Roslyn scored its lone run in the in the top of the fourth. Liam Gulpin got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and went first to third on a Chase Wolf single. Bradley Horsnall followed with a groundout to shortstop to score Gulpin.
Pat Loughney started for Roslyn and took the loss. He allowed five runs on four hits across four innings, striking out three batters to five walks. Travis Sturgis allowed one run in one inning of relief and Jack Campbell threw a perfect sixth inning.
Mount Carmel 6, Roslyn 1
Roslyn 000 100 0 – 1
Mount Carmel 002 310 x – 6
WP: Johnangelo Salamone 7 IP 4 K 0 BB 5 H 1 R
LP: Pat Loughney 4 IP 3 K 5 BB 4 H 5 R
Originally Published: July 10, 2025 at 9:52 PM EDT