CBA falls in a heart breaker/full Press coverage
By JOE ADELIZZI
STAFF WRITER
WEST WINDSOR -It was almost too painful to watch. CBA's Kyle Slate, magnificent for seven shutout innings, made two mistakes in the eighth and St. Joseph's of Metuchen scored the game's only run without hitting a ball out of the infield.
The run came in on a wild pitch in which Chris Bielak, the first runner to reach third for either team, flew home. He just beat the throw from catcher A.J.Szatkowski to Slate.
It was enough for St. Joe's Kevin Poll, a surprise starter given the ball by first-year coach Paul Esposito. He allowed only two hits in the route-going performance. The Colts never had two men on in a single inning, and only reached second base twice.
Esposito picked Poll to start after watching CBA beat Camden Catholic in the Non Public South A semifinals.
""I thought that Kevin had a wide assortment of pitches and could keep CBA off balance,'' said Esposito.
Turns out he was right. He only had three strikeouts but enticed 10 ground outs.
Not that Slate wasn't great. He allowed three hits in eight innings. But he ran into trouble when he hit Bielak with a pitch leading off the eighth.
""I was trying to get a fastball inside,'' said Slate, now 11-1. It ran in on Bielak. It was the first time the Falcons had the leadoff batter on. He moved to second on a ground out and to third on a topped ground ball to third that Ed Brown just beat at first.
After Brown stole second, Slate got in trouble.
With Mike Hamel at the plate, and the count again 0-2, another fastball was down and in, and went to the backstop.
""I knew I had to try and score,'' said Bielak.""I just put my head down and ran.''
Slate was obviously disappointed with the outcome.""I guess he just out-pitched me today, that's why they are over there celebrating and we're leaving without a championship.''
Coach Marty Kenney has had his share of tough losses through the years to go along with more than 600 victories.
""Yeah, it's excruciating any time you lose a game like that,'' said Kenney whose team will be seeking the Shore Conference championship tonight at FirstEnergy Park against Colts Neck.
Kenney sat in the dugout after the game had ended with CBA leaving the tying run on second. His players headed to the outfield, many showing signs of the emotions a loss can bring.
""I have to tell them to put this behind them,'' said Kenney. ""At least it is not our last game. We can still win something in the Shore Conference.''
But it is the last game that Slate will pitch. The senior right hander seemed to be in total control until the hit batter in the eighth. He had struck out the side in the seventh and had 10 for the game.
""I was still feeling good,'' he said. ""I could have pitched more.''
He led of the home eighth with a single, giving the Colts (24-5) some hope. Dan Diaz bunted to put a runner in scoring position but that was as far as he got.
""There wasn't much we could do all day,'' said Kenney. ""Give credit to their kid. He kept us off the bases.''
And out of the Non Public championship Saturday.
St.Joseph (Metuchen) 1, CBA 0
St.Joseph (16-12) 000 000 01 - 1 3 1
CBA (24-5)000 000 00 - 0 2 1
WP - Poll. LP - Slate (11-1)
STAFF WRITER
WEST WINDSOR -It was almost too painful to watch. CBA's Kyle Slate, magnificent for seven shutout innings, made two mistakes in the eighth and St. Joseph's of Metuchen scored the game's only run without hitting a ball out of the infield.
The run came in on a wild pitch in which Chris Bielak, the first runner to reach third for either team, flew home. He just beat the throw from catcher A.J.Szatkowski to Slate.
It was enough for St. Joe's Kevin Poll, a surprise starter given the ball by first-year coach Paul Esposito. He allowed only two hits in the route-going performance. The Colts never had two men on in a single inning, and only reached second base twice.
Esposito picked Poll to start after watching CBA beat Camden Catholic in the Non Public South A semifinals.
""I thought that Kevin had a wide assortment of pitches and could keep CBA off balance,'' said Esposito.
Turns out he was right. He only had three strikeouts but enticed 10 ground outs.
Not that Slate wasn't great. He allowed three hits in eight innings. But he ran into trouble when he hit Bielak with a pitch leading off the eighth.
""I was trying to get a fastball inside,'' said Slate, now 11-1. It ran in on Bielak. It was the first time the Falcons had the leadoff batter on. He moved to second on a ground out and to third on a topped ground ball to third that Ed Brown just beat at first.
After Brown stole second, Slate got in trouble.
With Mike Hamel at the plate, and the count again 0-2, another fastball was down and in, and went to the backstop.
""I knew I had to try and score,'' said Bielak.""I just put my head down and ran.''
Slate was obviously disappointed with the outcome.""I guess he just out-pitched me today, that's why they are over there celebrating and we're leaving without a championship.''
Coach Marty Kenney has had his share of tough losses through the years to go along with more than 600 victories.
""Yeah, it's excruciating any time you lose a game like that,'' said Kenney whose team will be seeking the Shore Conference championship tonight at FirstEnergy Park against Colts Neck.
Kenney sat in the dugout after the game had ended with CBA leaving the tying run on second. His players headed to the outfield, many showing signs of the emotions a loss can bring.
""I have to tell them to put this behind them,'' said Kenney. ""At least it is not our last game. We can still win something in the Shore Conference.''
But it is the last game that Slate will pitch. The senior right hander seemed to be in total control until the hit batter in the eighth. He had struck out the side in the seventh and had 10 for the game.
""I was still feeling good,'' he said. ""I could have pitched more.''
He led of the home eighth with a single, giving the Colts (24-5) some hope. Dan Diaz bunted to put a runner in scoring position but that was as far as he got.
""There wasn't much we could do all day,'' said Kenney. ""Give credit to their kid. He kept us off the bases.''
And out of the Non Public championship Saturday.
St.Joseph (Metuchen) 1, CBA 0
St.Joseph (16-12) 000 000 01 - 1 3 1
CBA (24-5)000 000 00 - 0 2 1
WP - Poll. LP - Slate (11-1)
posted by Tony Graham at 6:04 PM
1 Comments:
Slate had another great game ,to bad the bats for CBA could not lend a hand !Keep your head high Slate, there are many more wins in your furture!!!!!!!!!
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