St. Leo’s of Lincroft came back from a game deficit to capture the Monmouth County Senior Softball League’s B Division playoff.
St. Leo’s bested Logical Arts of Aberdeen in the best-of-three series, two games to one, after winning two straight, 14-2 and 8-1. Logical Arts had won the opening game in eight innings, 8-5.
The winners held the opposition in check, allowing but a single run in the second inning. Logical Arts opened with a pair of hits, but could only score once after St. Leo’s fashioned a double play, started by second baseman Jim Sorrento, who flipped to shortstop Vinny Quinn, who threw on to first baseman Kevin Costello for the twin killing.
Winning pitcher Leo Pagdon held Logical Arts to five hits.
St. Leo’s scored all the runs it would need in the first inning, sending four runs across the plate. It added a pair in the second for a 6-1 lead and added solo markers in the third and fifth innings.
Vinny Quinn opened St. Leo’s first with a single and Bill Armstrong moved him up with another base hit. Armstrong was erased on a fielder’s choice, and Costello followed with a single that scored Quinn. Costello broke an 0-for-August slump.
Jim Grossi’s single made it 2-0, and after the second out, Pete Lopuszick and John Keppler singled for the 4-0 edge.
Pagdon helped himself with a single in the second after an opening out and Quinn reached on an error. Armstrong’s sacrifice fly scored Pagdon, and Art Kinnaugh banged in Quinn with a base knock.
Grossi led off the third inning with a home run to deep right center field.
St. Leo’s last run crossed the plate on a weird play. Quinn started the fifth inning with a single, and Armstrong reached base on an error. On the throw back to the pitcher, the ball rolled away far enough to let Quinn score.
St. Leo’s threatened in the sixth on successive singles by Lopuszick and Keppler, but a double play, Logical Arts’ second in as many innings, erased the rally.
—Jack Oakley