Baseball Wins AIA 6A Playoff Opener over Sunnyslope
Senior Matt Niezgodzki went 2-for-4 with five RBI, and Johnny Casale threw a complete game, two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts as No. 2 seed Brophy defeated Sunnyslope 7-0 on Saturday at Opus Field.
Brophy (22-5) will play No. 7 Hamilton at Tempe Diablo Stadium at 4 p.m. on Tuesday in Round 2B.
The Broncos scored the first run of the game in the first as Casale executed a sacrifice bunt to score Jack Ryan, who had singled to start the inning. Ryan finished with three runs scored, two hits, and a walk in the game. He had advanced to third on a Jack Meissner single.
Niezgodzki provided a three-run double in the third to clear a bases-loaded situation and extend the lead to 4-0. The Broncos tacked on three more in the sixth inning when Niezgodzki knocked in two with a single, and Willie Cornejo-Farmer followed with a run-scoring single.
Brophy is now 22-5 overall and has won 18 of their last 20 games after a 4-3 start. The 22 wins are the most since winning 24 in 2012. It was also a program-tying record eighth shutout.
The program's win over Hamilton on April 19 was it's first since 2016 and its first series sweep over the Huskies since 2012. The two teams will be meet for the third time in 11 days.
BASEBALL ⚾️ Matt Niezgodzki with two hits and five RBI in a 7-0 win over Sunnyslope. Johnny Casale with a two-hit shutout complete game. pic.twitter.com/5EyTbq75GF
Brophy College Preparatory celebrated its 76th commencement on Saturday, May 18, at 9 a.m. in Robson Gymnasium. This graduation was significant for the Class of 2024, who began their high school journey remotely due to the pandemic.
The Class of 2024 demonstrated resilience and connection despite the challenges of starting their education online. Their unity and adaptability were evident throughout their time at Brophy, embodying their class theme: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Valedictorian Doer Leo He delivered a memorable speech, drawing parallels to the movie "Finding Nemo" and encouraging his classmates to persevere with the phrase, "Just keep swimming." President Bob Ryan and Principal Jim Bopp also spoke, highlighting the graduates' resilience and urging them to be agents of positive change.
The ceremony concluded with a strong sense of pride and accomplishment, celebrating the Class of 2024's journey from remote learning to a united and triumphant graduation.