By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

st joseph's prep @ 4a #20 la salle (may 1)

Two fourth inning runs were all La Salle 2014 RHP Dom Cuoci (right) needed, as he and the Explorers survived a 7th inning rally from the Prep for a 2-1 win and sole possession of first place in the Philadelphia Catholic League Red division.  The pitcher's duel between Cuoci (CG, 8 H, 0 BB, 4 K) and Penn State-bound Tom Mullin (6 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 7 K) was played at a brisk pace, lasting just over an hour and a half from Cuoci's first pitch to his last.

2013 OF Joe Picard, who reached base in all three of his plate appearances (2 1Bs, 1 BB), started the home half of the fourth by nicely staying through a breaking ball and barreling it into center field.  Following a walk and a strikeout, 2015 IF AJ Grezeszak plated Picard with a line drive single to left field off an elevated two-strike fastball.  Two batters later, Notre Dame-bound Chris Melillo drove in the second run of the inning with his own single to center.

Uncommitted 2013 OF Shane Williams was the only Hawk to solve Cuoci on the day, sandwiching two doubles around a well struck line-out to center in his three at-bats from the 3-hole.  Ultimately, though, it was the bottom of the order that mounted the Prep's seventh inning rally.  Two-out singles from the 2013 middle infield pair of 2B Frank Santore and SS Pat O'Dell cut the deficit in half and put the tying run in scoring position.  However, Cuoci was able to induce his twelfth groundball out of the day (against only four outs in the air) to cap his performance.

For detailed scouting information including velocities, pop times and bat exit speeds see The Pennsylvania High School Scouting Blog.

• PA - May 2, 2013
  Pennsylvania Pitchers of the Week
• PA - May 2, 2013
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• PBRPlus - May 2, 2013
  The Pennsylvania High School Scouting Blog