Brophy 18
Alhambra 2
By Justin Janssen ’11
THE ROUNDUP
If the Broncos are going to make a run in the playoffs, they can point to the 18-2 shellacking of Alhambra April 30 as 
the game that jump-started them.
No. 9 Brophy (20-8) pounded out 10 extra-base hits, including four home runs, to rout the No. 8 Lions in a mercy-shortened game first round of the 5A-I postseason.
Connor Messman ’13 fueled Brophy’s offense with six RBIs on two doubles and a home run.
“Messman jump-started us,” said Brophy head coach Mr. Tom Succow. “He is just a sophomore, so we expect big things to come.”
In the bottom of the first inning Alhambra scored their two runs of the game off Brophy starter Dave Graybill ’12 to close the gap to 3-2.
Graybill settled down after that and gave up two hits the rest of the game improving his record to 7-1, according to Mr. Succow.
“It seems Graybill gets better every time out there,” Mr. Succow added.
The Broncos pushed their lead to 7-2 after the second inning behind a two-run single by Chris Beall ’12, an RBI double by Messman and a wild pitch scoring Emilio Torrez ’12.
In the third inning, Brophy threw the knock-out punch with back-to-back-to-back home runs by Messman, Jon Rapisarda ’12, and Dan Winkler ’11.
At that point Brophy led 15-2 and it was only a matter of time before the 10-run mercy rule came into effect.
“That’s our 20th win of the season,” Mr. Succow said, “It’s hard enough to win one game, much less 20.”
No. 8 Alhambra (18-6) won the Metro Region with a 15-1 mark against teams inside their region. The three teams from the Metro Region to qualify for the postseason all lost by 10 or more runs.
Brophy will play the top-seeded team in the 5A-I tournament, Mesquite, May 3 at Camelback Ranch Stadium (Glendale, Ariz.).
The tournament is double-elimination; meaning Brophy could lose the next game and still be alive.