By: Joe Cicchino - Sports Information Assistant

MALVERN -- One run was all it took to decide who would advance to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association between Germantown Academy and Malvern Prep. Both teams displayed powerful pitching and deft fielding, but one pitch proved to be the difference. 

In the bottom of the first inning with the bases empty and one out, Malvern got that hit. The ball sailed deep into left field and over the wall. Germantown Academy immediately responded with Colten Smith '19 getting two quick outs, but the damage was done. The Friars won the ballgame, 1-0.

"They're a really good team," Head Coach Tim Ginter said. "They don't give stuff away, you have to beat them. We were close, we were really close. I'm proud of the effort. We had a bunch of really good at bats. One pitch. Literally one pitch."

Down a run, the Patriots did their best to get on base and get back into the game. However, the Friars' pitching was too much and kept GA at bay.

Dante Messina '20 had an opportunity to get the offense going in the fourth, ripping a line drive between first and second, only to have the second baseman make a leaping grab for the out. 

"If he's one step to the left or one step to the right, it hits off his glove and now he got a guy," Ginter said. "A lot of things change from there. We definitely didn't let one slip away. I thought we fought hard and I'm hoping the younger guys were taking note."

The Patriots best chance may have come in the seventh inning. After the first two batters got out, Grant Giampalmi '19 got on base with a single. Cole Klein '20 got on base by way of a walk, advancing Giampalmi to second. Matt Creighton '20 was next, recording a single and loading the bases for Shane Harkins '20.

Harkins battled, waiting for the right pitch. Unfortunately, it never came and Malvern's pitching closed out the game.

Ginter said that all the Patriots were missing was one hit, but it was not because of lack of effort.

"We had baserunners, we got guys in scoring position," Ginter said. "We did what we needed to do and fight. It's going to be a long offseason."

Germantown Academy finishes the season 13-13 overall and 4-6 in the Inter-Ac League. Despite the outcome of the game, the growth shown by the GA baseball program is immense. Ginter was able to reflect on the season following the game

"We were a handful of pitches away from 5-5 or 6-4 [in the league]," Ginter said. "This is another one-run game. This is what we want, we just have to find a way to get those one-run losses and turn them into one-run wins."