CBA holds off SJ Vianney/full coverage
by By STEVEN FALK
STAFF WRITER
MIDDLETOWN - Seconds after Tuesday's NJSIAA Non-Public South A quarterfinal between Christian Brothers Academy and St. John Vianney ended, a CBA fan yelled, "The legend grows''.
The legend of CBA senior right-hander Kyle Slate, that is.
Slate hurriedly warmed up in the top of the seventh, and then came on in relief and struck out Lancers' power hitter Nick Scarillo on three pitches with runners on first and second for the final out that preserved CBA's 4-3 victory.
It looked like the University of Maine-bound Slate (10-0 with three saves) was going to get the day off. CBA (21-4) was leading 4-1 heading into the seventh, but the Lancers (18-7) slowly put together a rally against reliever Mike Galeotafiore.
Then, after Chris Lewnes singled to load the bases with two out, Colts' coach Marty Kenney told Slate, who has thrown a seven-inning no-hitter and combined with Tuesday's starter Dave Laufer on another seven-inning no-hitter this year, to warm up.
"Things can happen so fast in baseball,'' said Slate, who pitched five innings this past Saturday in CBA's 11-1 win over Raritan in a Shore Conference Tournament game and will start Friday, when the Colts host Camden Catholic (19-9) in a Non-Public South A semifinal.
While Slate was warming up behind the CBA dugout, Gary Fare delivered a two-run single to right to pull St. John Vianney within a run, Kenney, then, slowly walked to the mound.
"I probably should have had him light toss,'' Kenney said. "But, everything happened so quickly, I almost didn't have enough time to get him loose. "I was hoping not to use him. I wanted to give him a good five days rest.''
However, Kenney did not immediately bring Slate in. In a tactic to buy Slate as much time as possible, Kenney walked back to the dugout, asked Slate, if he was ready and then walked back to the mound and made the change.
"I probably got a good 10-15 (warmup pitches) in,'' Slate said. "I wasn't working on my mechanics. I was just trying to loosen up my arm.''
Scarillo, who has six home runs this year, was a batter Slate was familiar with because they played on the same travel team last summer.
Slate got the first strike on a change-up. Strike two came on a split fastball, which Scarillo fouled straight back and just missed. Slate then struck him out swinging on a fastball.
"I knew he likes to swing the bat,'' Slate said. "I thought if I could paint the black with an outside fastball, he wouldn't have a chance.''
"I had the right guy (at the plate),'' said St. John Vianney coach Mike Morgan. "He got fooled on one of the pitches, but Slate could have made a mistake and Nick could have put the ball over the scoreboard (in right-center).''
CBA got all its runs in the fourth, when it broke a scoreless tie on a two-run double by Jim Laufer and a two-run homer by Scott Micallef.
Dave Laufer (6-2), who struck out three, walked five and allowed three hits in six innings, preserved the 4-1 lead in the fifth by getting a 4-6 forceout with the bases loaded.
STAFF WRITER
MIDDLETOWN - Seconds after Tuesday's NJSIAA Non-Public South A quarterfinal between Christian Brothers Academy and St. John Vianney ended, a CBA fan yelled, "The legend grows''.
The legend of CBA senior right-hander Kyle Slate, that is.
Slate hurriedly warmed up in the top of the seventh, and then came on in relief and struck out Lancers' power hitter Nick Scarillo on three pitches with runners on first and second for the final out that preserved CBA's 4-3 victory.
It looked like the University of Maine-bound Slate (10-0 with three saves) was going to get the day off. CBA (21-4) was leading 4-1 heading into the seventh, but the Lancers (18-7) slowly put together a rally against reliever Mike Galeotafiore.
Then, after Chris Lewnes singled to load the bases with two out, Colts' coach Marty Kenney told Slate, who has thrown a seven-inning no-hitter and combined with Tuesday's starter Dave Laufer on another seven-inning no-hitter this year, to warm up.
"Things can happen so fast in baseball,'' said Slate, who pitched five innings this past Saturday in CBA's 11-1 win over Raritan in a Shore Conference Tournament game and will start Friday, when the Colts host Camden Catholic (19-9) in a Non-Public South A semifinal.
While Slate was warming up behind the CBA dugout, Gary Fare delivered a two-run single to right to pull St. John Vianney within a run, Kenney, then, slowly walked to the mound.
"I probably should have had him light toss,'' Kenney said. "But, everything happened so quickly, I almost didn't have enough time to get him loose. "I was hoping not to use him. I wanted to give him a good five days rest.''
However, Kenney did not immediately bring Slate in. In a tactic to buy Slate as much time as possible, Kenney walked back to the dugout, asked Slate, if he was ready and then walked back to the mound and made the change.
"I probably got a good 10-15 (warmup pitches) in,'' Slate said. "I wasn't working on my mechanics. I was just trying to loosen up my arm.''
Scarillo, who has six home runs this year, was a batter Slate was familiar with because they played on the same travel team last summer.
Slate got the first strike on a change-up. Strike two came on a split fastball, which Scarillo fouled straight back and just missed. Slate then struck him out swinging on a fastball.
"I knew he likes to swing the bat,'' Slate said. "I thought if I could paint the black with an outside fastball, he wouldn't have a chance.''
"I had the right guy (at the plate),'' said St. John Vianney coach Mike Morgan. "He got fooled on one of the pitches, but Slate could have made a mistake and Nick could have put the ball over the scoreboard (in right-center).''
CBA got all its runs in the fourth, when it broke a scoreless tie on a two-run double by Jim Laufer and a two-run homer by Scott Micallef.
Dave Laufer (6-2), who struck out three, walked five and allowed three hits in six innings, preserved the 4-1 lead in the fifth by getting a 4-6 forceout with the bases loaded.
posted by Tony Graham at 6:11 PM
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