Darbee’s arm tingles

Pitcher strikes out 13 in the Cardinals’ sixth win.

By: Tim Falls
   Mike Darbee deserved congratulations after pitching a shutout victory against Hightstown for the Lawrence varsity baseball team’s sixth straight win.
   The senior left-handed pitcher just didn’t want any pats to the shoulder from celebrating teammates.
   Prior to the game, a bee stung Darbee on his pitching arm.
   The bee sting didn’t hamper Darbee one bit as he recorded his first win and extended his team’s win streak to six games as the Cardinals shut out Hightstown, 3-0, on Monday.
   That’s as many wins as Lawrence could string together as Steinert stopped the Cardinals’ streak while extending its own.
   Lawrence fell to 6-2 after an 11-2 loss Tuesday as the Spartans (6-3) picked up their fifth straight win.
   In Monday’s game against Hightstown, there might have been some concern over Darbee’s readiness, but those fears were cast aside after the first few innings.
   Luckily, the pitcher wasn’t allergic and his stinger was much more effective than the bee’s.
   Darbee struck out 13 batters in seven innings and held the Rams to five hits and no runs.
   "That tingling feeling went away after the fourth inning," said Darbee.
   Hightstown had to have a sinking feeling that lasted throughout the game after the second inning, when Darbee sent three consecutive batters back to the bench with strikeouts.
   Lawrence gained a lead in the top of the fourth inning when Chris Cox scored on a single by Sean Gafgen.
   Bobby Hallowell, courtesy running for catcher Joe Nuccio, extended the lead by scoring in the top of the fifth.
   Matt Russo scored the final run in the top of the sixth after a single and a stolen base.
   "Everyone’s having a good time," said Darbee. "That means everyone is playing good baseball."
   Darbee said he held back at the start of the game, but not because of the bee sting.
   "I saved a little in the beginning," said Darbee. "I don’t know why, it’s just what I do. In the last few innings I came on even stronger."
   Still, Hightstown had its chances.
   In the bottom of the fourth, Darbee protected his team’s one-run lead by picking off a runner trying to steal home as another Hightstown runner stole second base.
   "It kind of upset me to see it happen," said Darbee, who wanted to hold onto the shutout. "Anytime you can get an out without throwing a pitch is a bonus, so pickoffs are great. That’s the advantage lefties have."
   Darbee also caught another Ram stealing second in the bottom of the fifth.
   "Those are the plays I never make," said Darbee. "My history is to throw away anything that is not a pitch."
   Darbee said he usually scatters his throws, aside from pitches, and they end up as errors rather than outs.
   Not against Hightstown, however. Darbee connected on his throws and helped himself by stopping runs and recording outs.
   "It all came together," said Darbee. "Everything came together for the whole team. We’re playing as one cohesive unit."
   Against Steinert, the Cardinals were not quite as cohesive.
   Lawrence had five errors and let the Spartans score seven runs with eight hits in the top of the fifth inning.
   Steinert took the lead in the top of the first by scoring two runs and added another run in the top of the second.
   Lawrence kept the Spartans from scoring in the third and fourth innings and began a rally with a triple from Matt Russo.
   Sean Gafgen knocked Russo home with a single.
   Steinert retaliated right from the start of the fifth inning.
   Mike Moceri and Jeff O’Connell led off with back-back doubles to get back the run Lawence had taken. It went on from there as O’Connell scored on an error.
   Even with a double play, Lawrence coudln’t keep Steinert from adding five more runs by the end of the inning.
   Lawrence scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it barely put a dent in Steinert’s lead.
   Both teams scored a run in the seventh.
   Russo led Lawrence with three of the team’s seven hits. Russo doubled and singled along with his triple, scored a run and had two RBIs.
   Taylor Smith (1-1) took the loss after giving up 13 hits and 10 runs, five of which were earned. Matt Sylvester relieved Smith in the fifth and finished the game with four strikeouts, while holding Steinert to two hits and one unearned run.