PBR DAILY ROUNDUP

March 18, 2012

By Drake Skleba

Benet Academy (1-0) opened the 2012 season in style for new head coach Scott Lawler on Sunday. The Redwings hit No. 9 St. Rita (0-2) with a four spot in the first and never looked back, defeating the Mustangs 8-4. Senior Sam Santa Maria drove home the first Redwing run on booming double.

Redwing senior Pat McInerny gave the Redwings a 4-0 lead they would never relinquish when he launched a three-run bomb over the left field fence.

Lawler replaces long-time Benet Academy head coach Jeff Bonebrake, who resigned in December. Lawler, in 2010, was the head baseball coach at the University of Notre Dame. From 2005-2009 Lawler was associate head coach under former Irish skipper Dave Schrage.

Lawler’s’ father is the late IHSBCA Hall of Famer Phil Lawler, who was the pitching coach at Naperville Central for 29 years. Lawler passed away April 23, 2010. The Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Summer State Baseball Tournament is named in his honor.

In 11 years at Benet, the Redwings won three East Suburban Catholic Conference championships and four IHSA regional crowns, under the tutelage of Bonebrake. His 2006 Redwing club won 31 games.   

The PBR’s Drake Skleba will be at Downers Grove South on Tuesday as the Redwings will be gunning for win number two against the No. 27 Mustangs.