Lawrence baseball
By: Jim Green
Once again, the Lawrence High School baseball team proved it can play with anyone in the Colonial Valley Conference. And once again, the Cardinals just didn’t get the breaks needed to beat a top team.
The Cardinals suffered their second one-run loss in three games Monday, falling 3-2 at West Windsor-Plainsboro South, one of the best teams in the Colonial Valley Conference. On April 20, Lawrence dropped a 7-6 decision to Skyland Conference power North Hunterdon. While the two defeats, added to earlier close losses to West Windsor-Plainsboro North and Princeton, are frustrating, the Cardinals (3-6) have no choice but to focus on the positives that they are no longer one of the bottom teams of the CVC, and that they constantly are getting better.
"We played South one of the better teams in the CVC and we faced their best pitcher (Chris Ruiz), who had one of his best days, and we almost came out with a win," Lawrence coach Brian Carter said. "You hate to learn from losses, but I do think we took a step forward. We continue to improve every day. I hate losing, but at the same time, I can’t be all that disappointed with my guys."
The one constant for the Cardinals continued to be fine starting pitching, with junior Mike Darbee hurling 6 2/3 strong innings before getting beaten on a two-out single by the Pirates’ Eric Voigtsberger in the bottom of the seventh. Darbee (1-3) struck out eight while allowing three earned runs on seven hits and four walks.
"I think he’s realizing that he can be a very good pitcher in the CVC," Carter said. "It’s a little bit of confidence, and he’s starting to take his role as pitcher a little bit more seriously between games. I think he’s beginning to prepare a little bit more than he has in the past. You put that all together, and I think he’s having a little bit more success."
Sophomore Taylor Smith, playing right field, continued his emergence for the Cardinals, smacking a two-run homer off Ruiz in the fifth for the two Lawrence runs. The home run was the only hit the Cardinals picked up against Ruiz (4-1).
"I don’t think a lot of teams were going to score off Ruiz yesterday," Carter said. "He was throwing his third pitch for strikes at will. Part of our inexperience is not seeing a lot of guys with top-notch off-speed stuff. Maybe a more experienced team would have hit him around a little bit more. Hopefully, we learn from it, and the next guy we see like him, we might get another run or two off of."
Against North Hunterdon, starter Mike Sheehan allowed just two earned runs in six innings, and seniors Mike Frascella and Tom Carnevali each had two hits. Lawrence took a 6-5 lead into the seventh inning, but the Lions scored twice in their last at bat to win 7-6.
While losing two one-run games in three innings is heartbreaking, Carter said his players are keeping their heads up.
"I don’t think it’s devastating," Carter said. "I’ve been telling them all season that they can play with anybody. Now they’ve seen it. They know they can play with anybody. They just played an entire game with one of the best teams in the CVC, and we should have won."
Carter said even the tough losses will help as the Cardinals try to join the upper echelon of the CVC.
"We have the talent, but we’re inexperienced, and experience goes a long way," Carter said. "We’re gaining that experience every game. That’s going to benefit us down the line, but you want to win now."
On Friday, the Cardinals notched an impressive 7-2 home win over Northern Burlington behind a fine start from Smith, who gave up one run on four hits in six innings. Dan Ciccone came on in relief and pitched a hitless seventh.
"He (Smith) pitched very well," Carter said. "He got ahead of a lot of hitters. He threw a lot of strikes and threw his changeup often enough to keep them off balance. And freshman Dan Ciccone went in and did a nice job, which was big for his confidence."
Sophomore center fielder Christian Cox continued to spark the offense, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs from the leadoff spot. Cox had hit safely in each of the Cardinals’ first eight games before going 0-for-3 against Ruiz on Monday.
"Christian is doing a great job in the leadoff spot," Carter said. "He’s becoming a student of the game. Between games, we talk a lot about at bats, things he can do better and things he’s doing well. Right now, we’re spending most of the time on things he’s doing well. I couldn’t be more pleased with what Christian’s doing."
The infield defense particularly that of sophomore third baseman Jason Zegarski also has excelled for Lawrence of late.
"Our infield was solid yesterday (Monday)," Carter said. "We’ve strung together a couple of good games defensively. Jason Zegarski has had a strong year at third. I think third base is an overlooked position. Everyone makes a bigger deal out of shortstop, but we’ve gotten more balls hit to third, and they’re usually the more important balls, like bunts, where you absolutely need an out out of them, and they’re outs when you hit them to third this year,"
The Cardinals, who were scheduled to play Steinert on Wednesday, will play host to Trenton at 3:45 p.m. Friday and face Morrisville at 7 p.m. Saturday at Eggerts Crossing. They then play host to South in a re-match of Monday’s game at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.
"In the past, there have been those games where you hope you don’t get blown out," Carter said. "I guarantee we don’t feel like that any more. I know we’re going in with the idea that we can win.
"There’s definitely a lot of season left. There’s a lot of time before the cut (for the state tournament). We’re getting better every game, which is the main thing."

