Walk-off 3 Run Home-run by Casey Cerutto ends the game
The game Wednesday afternoon between St. Bernard and St. Paul was a classic pitchers’ battle.
For 7 innings the game remained scoreless. The Falcon’s Brendan Foley overpowered the opposition, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 12, while Aidan Whitten of St. Bernard kept the opposition off balance scattering 4 hits and inducing lots of routine fly balls and ground outs.
It came down to the 8th inning when the game was finally decided.
In the top of the 8th, Joey Tonnotti came in to relieve Foley who was approaching his pitch count limit. Tonnotti struck out the first batter to face him as well as the second, Guiseppie Satti. But the strikeout pitch to Satti was in the dirt. Catcher Casey Cerruto’s throw to first was off target allowing Satti to reach first base safely. Aidan Whitten sacrificied Satti over to second, putting him in scoring position with Luca Muscarella coming to the plate. On a 1-2 pitch, Satti attempted to steal third. Muscarella grounded that pitch between the shortstop and third baseman driving in Satti with the first run of the game.
Tonnotti retired the next batter, but the damage was done. St Bernard led 1-0 on a run that resulted from Cerruto’s throwing error….and nobody felt worse about that than Cerruto.
But sometimes baseball, like life, presents you with an opportunity to overcome your mistakes and redeem yourself.
In the bottom of the 8th, Whitten retired the first batter on a groundout to 3rd base. Ryan Daniels then laced a single to right, and advanced to 2nd when the throw in was mishandled. With first base open, Mario Izzo was intentionally walked, bringing Casey Cerruto to the plate. And Cerruto wasted no time. The first pitch was a letter high fastball, and Cerruto sent it deep into the woods behind the left field fence for a walk off 3 run homer.
With the 3-1 win, St. Paul advances to the quarterfinals where they will host North Branford on Saturday, time TBA.
Of Note
For St Bernard
Luca Muscarella was 1 for 3 with an RBI single.
For St Paul
Casey Cerruto was 1 for 4 with a walk off 3 run homer.
Jamie Leggett was 2 for 3.
Ryan Daniels was 2 for 4 with a double and 1 run scored.