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York Catholic wins Division IV title


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York Catholic treated it just like any other win, but this win meant a little extra.

As the final run crossed the plate to give the Fighting Irish a 14-4 victory in six innings, the players congratulated each other on a job well done and quickly lined up to shake hands with Delone Catholic.

They didn't show it, but this win goes down as perhaps the program's biggest in the last five years. It sealed a YAIAA Division IV title, York Catholic's first since 2011, when it split with Delone Catholic and went on to win the league tournament title. It also ended the Squires' reign as kings of the division, dethroning them from the division crown for the first time since the league moved to a four-division format in 2009.

“You always want to be beat the best to get in," Gurreri said. "Delone is a great team every year.”

The win also likely seals a district playoff berth for York Catholic, which entered the day ranked No. 7 in the District 3 AA power rankings and don't have any games left that will count in the rankings. The top 10 teams qualify for the playoffs, and division foes Fairfield, Delone Catholic and Biglerville all also entered the day ranked between No. 6 and No. 10.

Brenden Kennedy started and pitched five innings in the division-clinching victory, while first baseman Matt Knauer shined at the plate with a double, a triple, and the single that ended the game.

“It’s only one step, we have a long way to go yet,"  Gurreri said. "We still have counties and districts and hopefully beyond.”

The YAIAA semifinals take place on Monday, with the finals on Tuesday. The district tournament begins May 23.