Bulldogs show mental toughness

Baseball

By: Mike Molaro
   One of the things Hopewell Valley Central High School first-year baseball coach Jim Reed had in the back of his mind entering this season was how well his guys would handle adversity.
   He knows many of his players remember the sting of last year’s 13-game losing streak and the way the Bulldogs mentally threw in the towel when they were behind late in games.
   So when HoVal trailed Hightstown 7-1 midway through its April 2 home opener, Reed gathered his guys in the home dugout and laid it on the line.
   "It was looking pretty ugly at 7-1," Reed said. "I told the guys we could lay down or come back. I’m proud of how we hung in there and came back. This game showed me something about this team."
   A five-run bottom of the fifth inning propelled the Bulldogs (3-1 overall, 2-1 in the Colonial Valley Conference) past the Rams 8-7. More importantly, HoVal may have exorcised the ghosts of last season and sent notice that this is a new year and a new Bulldog team.
   A two-run single by junior designated hitter Rob Serratelli highlighted the five-run uprising. After singles by senior center fielder Chris Borkowski and sophomore shortstop Mark Yuhas opened the inning, senior catcher Chuck Sista plated Borkowski with a run-scoring double.
   Junior left fielder Rob Salyga followed with an RBI double, senior first baseman Donnie Giovacchini walked and sophomore third baseman Kevin DeStefano walked to set up Serratelli’s clutch single.
   Junior right-hander Gus Davidson picked up the victory, and sophomore right-hander Chris Zsenak picked up the save. Salyga was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored.
   Hopewell last Friday fell at Nottingham 9-3 as Sista drove in a pair of runs, Giovacchini added an RBI and Yuhas was 2-for-3. The game was called in the sixth inning because of darkness.
   The final score is misleading, as the Bulldogs were in this game all the way but couldn’t capitalize on numerous opportunities.
   "We left eight guys on base," added Reed. "We didn’t get key hits. We didn’t have good pitching. We had the bases loaded twice and a runner on third once. All we needed was a key hit."
   HoVal is going to learn from this loss and move on.
   "It was one of those days," Reed said. "They had a couple of bloop singles, and they took advantage of our walks. We didn’t play well. We had it all go wrong in one game."
   Instead of hanging their heads and feeling sorry for themselves, the Bulldogs last Saturday bounded back with a solid 7-4 home triumph over Delaware Valley.
   Serratelli again provided the key hit with a game-winning, run-scoring double to highlight a three-run bottom of the third. Salyga was 3-for-4 (including a triple) with two RBIs and a run scored, Sista was 2-for-4 and drove in a run and Giovacchini had an RBI triple.
   Trailing 4-2, HoVal took the lead for good with the three runs in the third and added two insurance runs in the fourth. Sophomore righty Dan Hogan (two strikeouts, one walk) allowed two earned runs to pick up the win in his four innings of work, and Zsenak closed the door with three outstanding innings of relief for his second save.
   "We may have found a closer in Chris (Zsenak)," added Reed.
   Zsenak started the three-run third with a single and scored on Salyga’s triple. Giovacchini followed with an RBI triple and Serratelli drove in Giovacchini with his double.
   The Bulldogs used two walks, an error, a single and a wild pitch to score twice in the bottom of the fourth.
   With senior Matt Barrett scheduled to return on Tuesday, HoVal has adjusted with a makeshift lineup, playing its first four games without arguably the best player in the CVC.
   Reed is pleased with the way his guys have responded to the early-season challenge.
   "The players have stepped up," he said. "We have had to move some players to different positions. This provides us with flexibility. I can’t say enough about these guys.
   "It’s been guys like Donne Giovacchini who have been providing the leadership. He’s been through some tough seasons, but he’s also experienced success with the soccer team, so he knows what it takes to win."
   The season is only four games old, and there’s a lot of baseball remaining, but Reed is excited about the feeling surrounding these Bulldogs.
   "We needed to get out of the gate quickly and on a positive note," he added. "We’re having fun. The starting pitching is starting to come along. Guys are showing heart. They’re not getting down if we are down in the game. This team is definitely forging its own identity.
   "We have tough games ahead of us. I’m very happy with the week we had. The guys know they have to keep striving."
   NOTES: HoVal visited Trenton on Wednesday and hosts West Windsor-Plainsboro North on Friday. The Bulldogs compete in the Hillsborough Tournament on Saturday and host perennial CVC power Steinert on Monday.