The temperature at game time was 86 degrees, and the hitters were just as hot at Archbishop Curley on Monday afternoon, as John Carroll and the host Friars combined for 29 runs and 31 hits in eight innings of play in an MIAA A Conference slugfest.  John Carroll erupted for seven runs in the top of the eighth to gain an 18-11 win after Curley staged another dramatic seventh inning two-out comeback.

The Patriots held an 11-8 lead going into the bottom of the seventh that seemed safe. But no lead is safe at Curley these days.  After Zach Salkowski hit a solo homer with one away, to cut the deficit to 11-9,  Ryan Kirby fanned Tyler Burton, who is always a tough out, and the Patriots needed one more out to win.  But Curley’s Jason Gordon walked, Dennis Thomas singled, Alex Mitchell singled and Brent Jacobs tied the game with a two-run single.

It was more of what the Friar fans call “Curley Magic,” but this time it didn’t last.

Nick Naumann singled in the go ahead run for the Patriots in the top of the seventh, and Trent Shaw followed with a bases-clearing triple. The Patriots got three more runs after that to take a commanding seven-run lead which Ryan Kirby protected in the eighth.

John Carroll’s Brendan Butler had a perfect day at the plate.  The Patriot slugger had a home run, two doubles, and six RBI, and he walked three times.

Naumann had three hits  and two RBI, Shaw had two hits and three RBI, and KJ Hockaday had three hits and two RBI.

“It was a great game, everybody was seeing the ball good,” said Butler.  “The bottom of our lineup was hitting the ball.”

They were indeed. Tim Ryan had two hits and an RBI, while Danny Snee, Josh Brown and Avery Callan all had two hits each.

“We’re all hitting the ball,” said Shaw. “We’ve got a powerful line-up.”

Shaw wasn’t surprised by Curley’s comeback. “They’re a scrappy team, they came back against Spalding too.”

Zach Ridgeley had three hits and two RBI for the Friars.  Burton had a single and a double, and Mitchell had two hits.

The Patriots (4-2) stayed a game behind Calvert Hall (5-1) in conference. The Hall blanked McDonogh 10-0 in six innings on Monday behind Garrett Walther, who had a no-hitter for 5.2 innings. Alex Pastorius, Spencer Sutton and Colin Gimblett all homered for the Hall.

Archbishop Spalding (5-2) kept pace with a 6-2 win over Mount Saint Joe.  The Cavs got a grand slam homer from Phil Kreis to break a 2-2 tie at the Mount. Pat Rigers homered for St. Joe.

John Carroll 18, Archbishop Curley 11, 8 innings
JC 200 402 3 7 –  18  19  3
AC 004 220 3 0 – 11  12  2
McGee, Kirby (5), and Brown; Salkowski, Merkley (6), Deickman (7), Burton (8), and Gordon
WP-Kirby  LP-Burton
2B: JC-Butler 2; AC-Ridgley, Warble, Burton.
3B: JC-Shaw.
HR: JC-Butler; AC-Salkowski.