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Game one of the 36th Annual Jack Conley Lead-Off Baseball Tournament featured the St. Maria Goretti Gaels from Hagerstown and the host No. 24 Mount St. Joseph Gaels of Baltimore. After a quick top of the first inning, Connor Rudel took one deep to left field over the fence to give Mount St. Joseph the early 2-0 lead. The homerun was a big blow as it came following a two out walk to Michael Rosen after Goretti starter David Clever had struck out the games opening two batters. 

Goretti would cut the lead in half in the top of the second as Camryn Moats battled to put the ball in play with two strikes; hitting a perfectly placed dribbler down the first base line to score Mark Statz. The see-saw start to the game would continue as Mount St. Joseph added three more runs in the bottom of the second highlighted by RBI singles from Josh Lantz and Ripken Reese. 

St. Maria Goretti countered with three of their own in the top of the third as Andrew Blake doubled down the right field line to make the score 5-4, but that would prove to be the end of the offensive output for Goretti in the ballgame. Mount St. Joeseph would add an insurance run in the fifth and sixth inning just for good measure backing up the strong start from Ryan Krohn on the bump. 

Krohn went five innings allowing five hits and four runs (zero earned runs) while striking out three. Andrew Gray came in relief of Krohn in the sixth and final inning due to the tournament mandated two-hour time limit on games and closed the door striking out two and securing their place in the Championship Game with the 7-4 win. Rudel, who finished the game 3-for-4 with a HR, 2 RBI's, and 2 runs scored would latter be named the Willie Staso Tournament MVP Award.

 

Final Tournament Results

Game 1: No. 24 Mount St. Joseph 7, St. Maria Goretti 4
Game 2: No. 17 St. Michaels 4, St. Mary's-Ryken 0
3rd Place Game: St. Maria Goretti 7, St. Mary's-Ryken 5
Championship Game: No. 24 Mount St. Joseph 18, No. 17 St. Michaels 8

2019 Jack Conley Tournament Champions: Mount St. Joseph Gaels
2019 Willie Staso MVP: Connor Rudel