Summer - when the school days are as infrequent as blog posts.

My apologies for not blogging as regularly during the spring season. I think the heat got to me. And the rain. And the exceptional (but exhausting) road to State College during the basketball season.

In either case, please bookmark Gettin' Schooled and check back throughout the summer. While there is not nearly as much going on in the high school sports scene, there will be exceptions to those rules. Like the Carpenter Cup Classic.

Pictured above, Nick Mascioli of Delco Christian, made several diving, run-saving grabs in the Phillies-sponsored all-star tournament. He made one of them Wednesday, when his SOL National/Bicentennial team lost the championship game to Burlington County, 2-1. Staff writer John Kopp gave us an item following the title game.

I had a chance to catch up with Mascioli after the SOL/BAL team's 3-2 win Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. His star is certainly on the rise.

So don't be a stranger (even if your estranged blogger has been) at Gettin' Schooled.

The baseball season may have ended in the state tournament (or district tournament) for some teams, but area players are still lacing up their cleats and pounding their mitts.

Marple Newtown's Chris Orlando (pictured) knows this all too well.

He and his Delaware County teammates dropped a close one to Chester County, 9-7, Monday in the first round of the Carpenter Cup Classic. Their opening-round loss in the 16-team all-star tournament was Delco's seventh in nine years.

And the sweltering heat and humidity at UPenn's Meiklejohn Stadium only made matters worse. Said Sun Valley catcher Joe Maloney, who strapped on his equipment for six brutal innings: "I've played in some hot ones before and this one, wow, it was the first real hot one of the year."

The game offered a chance for younger players, like junior shortstop Ronny Tanner of Haverford, a first chance to play before major-league talent scouts and college coaches. And here's a preview story for Monday's game (sorry for the belated post).

Also in the Carpenter Cup, the Catholic League franchise, which features six players from Delco schools, will open its play Wednesday in a 9 a.m. game at UPenn. Monsignor Bonner's reps are Conor Kerins, Rob Benedict and Lou Tomasetti. Cardinal O'Hara has Bill Pace, Tom Coyle and Mike Baselice on the team.

Let's hope the weather cools off by gametime.

So the fine folks at Shippensburg University - bless their hearts - have incorporated some sort of Wireless Internet block against the Daily Times' blogging program. Apparently it's a personals page and it could not be accessed while I was covering the PIAA Class AAA track meet.

So since it's been awhile since my last post, here's what you've probably missed:

BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
Four Delaware County teams are still alive for Tuesday afternoon's action. Monsignor Bonner is going for its first Catholic League title since 1989, in a 4 p.m. start against St. Joseph's Prep. In Class AAA, Sun Valley and Marple Newtown will play in separate semifinals, and Delco Christian is in the final four of the Class A bracket.

Let's hope there's less rain and more shine in the forecast. For previews of the games, pick up Tuesday's Daily Times.

STATE TRACK MEET
Penncrest thrower Karen Shump went out in a blaze of glory, ending her track and field career with a fourth straight shot put title at states. The defending All-Delco Track Athlete of the Year stands alone in her events. Here are two other stories (link and link) from the girls side of the track meet.

On the boys side, Glen Mills jumper Johnny Jenkins was the Delco area's lone state champion. And he only started long jumping three months ago. Here's my account from states on Friday.

Overall, the experience was a blast. Though the Shippensburg people need to lighten up on their Internet standards. More to come soon, especially with four baseball teams still alive in the playoffs.

And lest we forget Delaware County's team in the Carpenter Cup.