Solid pitching highlights Post 148’s Legion season

By: Sean Moylan
   If the hitting on the Hightstown Post 148 American Legion baseball team had been just a shade better than the league average, then the club would have probably been in the playoff hunt, in this, its last week.
   Hightstown’s pitching has been that dominating. Going into last night’s scheduled game versus Bordentown Post 26 at Mercer County Park, Brian Greubel had surrendered under a half run a game and had a very good chance of winning an ERA title. Ethan Perro has been among the MCALL strikeout leaders the entire season and Chris Kubik tossed back-to-back no-hitters a few weeks ago. And we’ve yet to mention two of Hightstown’s hottest pitchers, Mike Bertuccio and Ryan Pierson.
   "Considering the offense hasn’t been there, there have been a lot of positives after an 0-5 start in the league," said Hightstown manager Rich Scheid, whose club won 10 out of 16 league games entering last night’s schedule finale.
   A win over Bordentown would even Hightstown Post 148’s record at 11-11. Ironically, in last year’s final contest, Hightstown defeated Bordentown to climb back to .500.
   Hightstown would already be at .500 had it not lost a tough 3-1 decision to West Windsor-Plainsboro at Mercer County Park this past Wednesday. Perro was the tough luck loser.
   "Ethan (Perro) threw the ball well. He just had one bad inning (a three-run fifth)," Scheid remarked. "It’s disappointing we weren’t able to score. We knew (going in) that if we scored four or five runs, we would have beaten West Windsor."
   Perro has been that sharp as of late. In Wednesday’s contest he gave up three runs on five hits in six innings and he didn’t walk a single batter. He may have finished the season at 3-5, but he would have been one of the top starters on any club in the league.
   Wednesday’s game was called with one out in the top of the seventh because of rain. Kubik drove in Hightstown’s only run in the third. David Reichmann had a two-hit game and scored a run while Logan Gallagher doubled. Kyle Gormley, Mike Kapuscienski and Kevin McCarey each had a hit as well. Once again, Hightstown had trouble picking up clutch hits with men in scoring position. It’s been a problem all year long.
   "It’s a shame to waste good pitching and defense," said Scheid, whose club was the road team on Wednesday. "Marcus McCleod made a nice catch (in left field) to rob a guy of a triple. He has been playing much better as of late."
   According to Scheid, McCleod has been using his blazing speed to steal bases and he has done a great job of bunting base runners over as well. Consequently, he has received more playing time in recent games.
   Hightstown beat Hopewell 339, 6-2, in this past Tuesday’s contest at Mercer County Park. Kubik pitched five strong innings (four hits allowed two runs, one earned run). He finished the season 4-1. Then Greubel came in and finished off the win with two scoreless frames of super relief.
   "Brian (Greubel) need a little work so he came in and got the final six outs," added Scheid.
   Gormley had two hits and drove in a run. Matt Hill was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored. Reichmann, who has been hitting very well, had a pair of base hits and two RBI. Bertuccio was also a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs scored while Zack Katcher had Hightstown’s only other hit in the contest.
   Bertuccio and Post 148 blanked North Trenton 458, 1-0, at Nottingham High this past Sunday.
   "Bertuccio pitched a heck of a game (a complete game six-hit, three strikeout shutout) and he got out of a bases-loaded jam," said Scheid, whose pitchers have responded very well to adversity in recent weeks.
   Gallagher smacked a pair of singles and a double while Kapuscienski knocked in the winning run with a third-inning single. McCleod cracked a double while Reichmann also had a key hit in the 1-0 thriller.
   Despite a tremendous pitching performance by Perro, Hightstown dropped a 3-0 decision to Hamilton Post 31 at Steinert on Saturday.
   "Perro (five strikeouts) pitched a great ball game. He was solid all game," noted Scheid, who has been very happy with Perro’s pitching over the last three weeks. "It could have been a 1-0 game if it had not been for an error."
   Although Reichmann had a double and single, Kapuscienski singled twice and Bertuccio had a hit, Hamilton hurler Rich Balgowan induced ground ball after ground ball to get out of trouble and come away with the shutout win.
   Last Friday’s scheduled game versus Falls legion, Pa was cancelled.
   Last Thursday, Greubel was very sharp in his 5-1 win over Princeton 218 at Smoyer Park. In seven innings, Greubel allowed just five hits and one unearned run while striking out six and walking no one.
   Katcher homered and scored two runs to help out his battery mate. Kapuscienski had two hits while Gormley singled, knocked in a pair of runs and scored once. McCleod (1-for 2, two steals, a run scored), Hill (single, run scored), McCarey (single) and Gallagher (RBI) all made contributions on the offensive end too.
   Hightstown’s team ERA is less than three runs a game. Despite a lack of big base knocks in clutch situations, several Hightstown batters have done a good job of moving runners over in recent weeks.
   Greubel was set to get the start versus Bordentown last night. But Scheid also had several other hurlers available if needed.