The tall designated hitter delivered what coach Kraig Kaufhold had been waiting for all afternoon: a clutch hit. And it helped ignite what Philly coach Juan Namnun had been fearing: a big inning.
"That was so clutch," Kaufhold said. "Everyone after that followed suit. That got the bats going for us."
Delaware County then plated five runs in the ninth.
The Public League was so close to getting out of the eighth inning unscathed, but a two-out error allowed Bill Buckwalter to reach base, before he scored on Burrell's double one pitch later.
The tournament plays nine-inning games as opposed to the seven innings that high school teams play, and plays into the hands of teams with depth, such as Delaware County, which used 18 batters and five pitchers. But through seven innings, the Public League played a patient game to stay in it. Philly just couldn't get a clutch hit when it needed one.
Philly stranded eight runners in the first seven innings despite having only three hits, taking advantage of walks and hit batters. In the second, the Pub had runners on second and third. In the fifth and sixth, the Pub stranded a runner in scoring position.
"The Public League has talent," Namnun said. "We just couldn't close it, couldn't get that hit when we needed. Just came a little short. Nine innings is a completely different animal."
Delco weathered the Public League's constant chipping away at an early 3-0 lead, surviving runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh, before Burrell's knock gave them a one-run lead and ignited a five-run ninth that capitalized on Philly's mental and physical errors. Delco's Nos. 6, 7, 8, and 9 hitters all crossed the plate in the ninth.
"It's pretty exciting to get this win," Burrell said. "I was just happy to get it started."
In a way, he did just that. But really, Burrell's clutch double ended it.
Delaware County 000300015 - 970
Philadelphia Public 000110100 - 364
WP: Billy Vandergrift. LP: Jacob Kurtz. 2B: DC–Tom Carey, Jake Burrell, Sean Mohollen.
FIRST ROUND
Sunday
SOL National/Bicentennial 9, Jersey Shore 7
Chester County 13, Philadelphia Catholic 7
SOL American/Continental 9, Delaware North 5
Monday
Tri-Cape 18, Olympic Colonial 3
Lehigh Valley 12, Mercer County 3
Inter-Ac/Independents 12, Delaware South 11
Tuesday
Burlington County 12, Berks County 8
Wednesday
Delaware County 9, Philadelphia Public 3
QUARTERFINALS
Thursday
At Ashburn Field in FDR Park.
SOL National/Bicentennial at Chester County, 9 a.m.
Tri-Cape at SOL American/Continental, 12:30 p.m.
Friday
At Ashburn Field in FDR Park.
Lehigh Valley at Inter-Ac/Independents, 9 a.m.
Burlington County at Delaware County, 12:30 p.m.
SEMIFINALS
Sunday
9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park.
FINAL
Monday
10 a.m. at Citizens Bank Park.
