MCALL is unforgiving

AMERICAN LEGION

By: John E. Powers
   Hopewell Post 339 American Legion coach Bruce Devlin knows very well how unforgiving the Mercer County American Legion League is.
   His team also knows. Last week was a good example and a lesson for a team that is one of the league’s youngest clubs.
   Hopewell fell to 8-12 during a week that featured a 7-6 win over Trenton 93 Schroths Thursday, but also included a 10-0 loss to first-place Bordentown last Tuesday. Matt Moceri, a 6-foot-8 power pitcher from Florence, threw a no-hitter in that game. He also hit two, two-run homers.
   "The kid is 19 and he’s big and throws 93, 94 miles per hour," Devlin said. "We didn’t strike out (Moceri had six strikeouts) much, but when we hit the ball we were hitting the ball right at people. He’s probably the front runner for the league’s MVP.
   Hopewell lost to North Trenton 9-3 and 16-0 to Lawrence during the week. Hopewell was scheduled to finish the season with games with Hightstown Tuesday and Ewing Wednesday."It was one of those weeks where whomever pitched was getting ripped," Devlin said. "The pitches were really getting tattooed.
   "It was a brutal week," he added. "I told the kids that we have 12 teams in the league and that you can really tell the difference between the top five and the teams from six to 12. At the same time, at this level, if you make mistakes you are going to get clubbed."
   But he also said that if a team doesn’t play well, struggling teams like Mitchell Davis 182, Trenton 93 and Princeton 218 can pose as difficult opponents.
   A five-run fourth-inning was the spark that North Trenton used to win. Devlin said that his team made four infield errors during the pivotal inning.
   "You can’t do that in this league because they’ll tear you up," Devlin said. "You have to make the routine plays."
   Austina Catherina and Tim Barrett had RBI doubles in Hopewell’s four-run second inning in the win against Trenton 93. Jay Amato went 3-for-3 and Aaron Utman drove in two runs at Wetzel Field.
   James Austin pitched 6 1/3 innings for the win and Tim Parker picked up his first save. Trenton had the tying run on third with one out in the seventh, but Parker got a strikeout and groundout to close it out. Hopewell had a 7-1 lead, going into the bottom of the fifth when Trenton began to rally.
   "They kept chipping away and got back into it," Devlin said. "There was a couple of plays we should have made, but that’s what kind of year it’s been."
   Next year should be much better. Devlin has been starting four 15-year olds – outfielder Ben Meer, infielder Tim Barrett, pitcher Travis Gerstacker and catcher Joe Mayes, who made the league’s all star game.
   "We haven’t caught many breaks this year, especially in the close games, but part of that is because of our inexperience," Devlin said. "We have some good young talent here. We had 37 kids try out and we never had that many before and with the success of the Babe Ruth teams, we should have a bright future."