Junior pitcher takes the mound as LHS adds victories in Disney.
By: Mike Molaro
Taylor Smith definitely was ready to take the mound on April 6 when the Lawrence High School baseball squad hosted Colonial Valley Conference foe Hamilton.
Smith, 5-0 a year ago, was the losing pitcher in the 5-4 setback to The Pennington School in the Cardinals’ season opener.
The junior right hander was stoked to face the Hornets and wanted the ball.
"Coming off that Pennington game, he had a little extra incentive against Hamilton," Cardinal head coach Brian Carter said after Smith and sophomore right hander Dan Ciccone combined for a two-hit shutout in a 3-0 triumph over the Hornets. "Taylor was ahead of the hitters. He didn’t run up long counts like he did against Pennington. They swung at his pitches."
Smith (1-1) walked four, struck out three, and allowed just two hits in six innings to lead Lawrence (2-1) to its second straight victory. He also helped his own cause with a run-scoring single.
After Taylor walked the first two batters in the top of the seventh with Hamilton’s middle of the order coming up, Carter went to the bullpen and brought in Ciccone, who ended the Hornet threat with clutch pitching for the save.
"Dan came in and got a pop up, a grounder back to the mound, and a fly out against their 3-4-5 batters," added Carter. "He really did the job for us."
Junior center fielder Christian Cox gave the Smith and the Cardinals the only run they needed by singling in the bottom of the first with one out, moving to third on a past ball, and scoring on a wild pitch.
Junior first baseman Matt Russo, who went 2-for-2 with a run scored, laced a run-scoring double for an insurance run.
The Cardinals made the most of their seven hits and took advantage of what Hamilton starter senior righty Joey DeBronzo gave them.
"We got some timely hitting," Carter said. "Their pitcher was wild early. It was nice to jump out early. We were playing ahead. Taylor had a lead every time he went out."
Lawrence won’t dominate teams this season and needs to have the three keysclutch hitting, good defense, and solid pitchingworking as they were against the Hornets.
"In the (12-4) win over Notre Dame (Apr. 3), our 7-8-9 guys knocked in five runs and came up huge," added Carter. "In this game, the top and middle of the order did the job. We need everyone ready to show up and play. Anyone can be the guy for us in any game. Pitching and defense are important, but you have to score to win."
The Cardinals kept the good times rolling when they traveled to Walt Disney World in Orlando Sunday for their first-ever spring break trip.
Lawrence won a doubleheader on Tuesday.
The Cardinals edged South Carolina’s Orangeburg Prep, 6-5, and crushed Virginia’s Brentsville high school, 15-1 down in Orlando.
Lawrence was scheduled to play its last game of the trip Wednesday, against Medina High (OH).
"I’d like for this to be an annual event," Carter said before the visit to the Sunshine State. "I want to win all three games. Two wins would be a good trip."
Carter got his wish, and at the very least could call it a good trip.
Geoff Kimmel (1-0) pitched in the win over Orangeburg and tripled at the plate. Sean Gafgen surpassed Kimmel with a double and a triple, while Jason Zigarski went 2-for-3. Ciccone recorded the save
Kimmel tripled again against Brentsville. Kimmel went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs. Matt Russo went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, Gafgen went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Cox went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs, and Kevin Raymond and Zigarski each had an RBI.
Smith held Brentsville to one run for the win, while Lawrence exploded in the fourth inning with 13 runs. With four straight wins since an opening day loss to Pennington, the Cardinals take have shown that by taking care of the fundamentals, the wins will take care of themselves.
NOTES: Lawrence’s games against Northern Burlington (April 5) and last Saturday against Morrisville were postponed because of rain. No makeup date is set for either game.

