BASEBALL: An up-and-down weekend saw the Falcons defeat CBA Friday, but fall to Mercersburg the next day.
By: Kyle Moylan
Frank Schermerhorn doesn’t like to make excuses, but his Peddie baseball team was on too much of a high this past weekend to stay up there.
Last Friday, Peddie defeated Christian Brother Academy, 6-5, with 2 runs in the last of the last of the seventh. The top ranked team in the state in the preseason, CBA was still ranked fifth when it took the field against Peddie.
The following day, Peddie allowed 8 runs in the first inning during a 10-4 loss to Mercersburg.
"I don’t want to use the game before as an excuse," Schermerhorn insisted. "Our pitcher (Ed Woodrow) just got hit. He’s our third starter. He’s not as strong as the other two, but he’s never been hit like that. It was just one of those days."
So was the day before. But last Friday was one of those great days.
Peddie gave the ball to Matt Pustay, probably the best pitcher in Mercer County, for its big game against CBA. Pustay was dominant earlly, but ran into trouble in the middle innings.
CBA pushed across a run in the fourth. In the top of the fifth, CBA put a pair of runners on base with one out (one reaching via an error). Kris Urbano then tried unsuccessfully on the first two pitches to put down a sacrifice.
"Matt has pinpoint control," noted Schermerhorn. "He’s only walked one batter in 35 innings, which is outstanding. If anything, he needs to be more wild. He needs to be less aggressive at time. He gets hurt at times up in the count."
Urbano hit a 3-run homer on a 0-2 pitch to lift CBA into a 4-0 lead. By the time the inning ended, CBA was up 5-0.
For lesser teams, this would have been a knockout blow. Not Peddie.
A pair of walks and a hit loaded the bases in the last of the fifth for Peddie. John Johnston, who will be heading for the Naval Academy next season, then unloaded them with a 3-run double. Johnston would later score as Peddie cut its deficit to 5-4 against Bob Acampora.
Acampora is CBA’s ace hurler, who will going to Rutgers University next year on a scholarship. Pustay is also heading to Rutgers on a scholarship, making for a very interesting matchup against two of New Jersey’s best that will likely be roomates and teammates next season.
Pustay held CBA scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings. In the last of the seventh, Anthony Belsaco did what all great leadoff hitters do. he got on base. Belasco walked and then stole second.
Johnston followed with a grounder to first. Johnston beat the pitcher to the bag as Belasco headed to third. When the ball came loose on the play, Belsaco headed home. According to Schermerhorn, Belasco had the play beat regardless of the throw. When the throw sailed out of play, however, Johnston made it all the way to third base.
Pustay, fittingly, ended the game with a sacrifice fly.
"That was a huge win," Schermerhorn noted. "We’re trying to play that type of competition."
Peddie will also be faced with good competition as it plays in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League Tournament this weekend. Peddie will face Hill in the first round on Saturday. The four winners from Saturdays quarterfinals will come back and play in the semifinals on Sunday morning. The two winners from those games will play in the championship game later on Sunday.
Schermerhorn doesn’t intend to mess around. He’s starting Pustay against Hill on Saturday. When he faced Hill earlier in the year, Pustay allowed 4 hits and struck out 14 in a 9-2 win.
"You just can’t gamble like that," Schermerhorn noted of the choice to pitch Pustay in the first game. "If you lose not throwing your best, you’ll regret it."
If Peddie wins the first game, it will likely have a rematch against Mercersburg in the MAPL semis.
"I’d like to play Mercersburg again," Schermerhorn said. "If we play well, I think we’ll have a good chance in the tournament."