Mustangs win first for Sferrazza
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
There were many great story lines for the Manville High baseball team in last Thursday’s 3-1 victory at Perth Amboy Tech.
While second-year head coach Dan Sferrazza was thrilled to win his first game as skipper and end the varsity team’s 22-game losing streak, that was not nearly as significant as what the players achieved. There’s much to be said about the character of a team coming back to win a baseball game on the road after suffering embarrassing, lopsided losses on their home field the previous two days.
”Just to see the guys and how happy they were after that last out was great,” Sferrazza said. “My first coaching win was great, but it doesn’t mean as much as seeing the kids finally have some joy. Words can’t describe it.”
The senior battery of pitcher Joe Burnett and catcher Nick Pankowski took center stage in pulling out this victory. Burnett hurled seven solid innings of five-hit ball with 13 strikeouts to pick up the win. Pankowski played a superb defensive game behind the plate and also delivered the game-winning hit in the top of the seventh inning.
Perth Amboy Tech scored the first run of the day in the bottom of the first but Burnett fired shutout ball over the final six frames. Burnett had run out of gas in the season opener at Belvidere and felt some fatigue in the fifth inning at Perth Amboy Tech. The big right-hander found a second wind and finished the game strong. Burnett struck out the side in the sixth and that momentum carried him through the rest of the game.
”He’s a bulldog,” Sferrazza said. “He really dug down and battled. He felt tired after the fifth inning but he told me he was finishing the game after striking out the side in the sixth.”
The Mustangs had tied the game on a cheap run in the third when Anthony Fasano walked, stole second and scored when the catcher’s throw sailed into center field. The game remained tied until the top of the seventh.
Josh Michalski gave Manville a good start by leading off with an infield hit. Ryan McKee popped out while Michalski stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. That set the stage for Pankowski, who ripped a bullet to center field for an RBI single and a 2-1 lead. Pankowski moved into scoring position on a ground ball out and scored on a two-out single to right-center by sophomore second baseman Joe Talnagi.
”The bottom of the order came through,” Sferrazza said. “I knew we could steal on their catcher because we had been doing it all day. Nick really came through with the big hit.”
Sferrazza was more impressed with his catcher’s defense. The Perth Amboy Tech field had a deep backstop, which can be dangerous for catchers struggling to keep balls in the dirt in front of them. Pankowski did not allow a passed ball, a huge plus in a tight, low-scoring contest.
Tech threatened in the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff double, but Burnett slammed the door with two strikeouts and retired the final batter on a ground out to second base.
”We got a phenomenal performance from Joe Burnett,” Sferrazza said. “He throws hard all the time but he’s been having trouble with a second pitch. His curveball was very nice today.”
Manville needed to play a complete baseball game to pick up its first victory. Burnett was fabulous on the mound, the defense behind him committed just one error and the bats provided seven hits, including a few clutch ones under pressure.
”They were a decent team, definitely not a pushover,” Sferrazza said. “We had to battle. We had to play good baseball. We did what we had to do to win. It was a team victory all around.”
Manville has shown flashes of good play in every game this season but had not sustained anything for seven innings until last Thursday. Sferrazza is hoping this is the start of something big, maybe even a winning streak, with opponents like Bound Brook, St. Mary’s and South Hunterdon coming up.
”Some of these guys haven’t won in so long, I really wanted them to win this game,” Sferrazza said. “We won a game, now we want to win more.”

