Cardinal Newman Falls Just Short Against Calvary

Tyler Krull pitched an outstanding game for the Crusaders.

Calvary Christian Academy and Cardinal Newman battled for nine innings before the Eagles emerged victorious. Facing each other in the regional quarterfinal game at Calvary’s home field, the two teams showed excellent pitching and fine defensive plays. In the end, it was heroics from Andrew Gottfried that made Calvary the 2-1 winner.

With the score knotted at 1-1, the two teams battled into the ninth inning. In the top of the ninth, Cardinal Newman left fielder, Luis Besteiro, hit a ground ball to the hole between shortstop and third base. Calvary shortstop, Josh Lane made a great stop and an even better throw to nip Besteiro down the line. Keeping Besteiro off first base turned out to be a key play as Robbie Hoyt came to the plate and belted a shot to deep left field. The ball rolled to the wall and Hoyt ended up on second base with a double. Eagle pitcher Tommy Taborda buckled down and got Chris Cammarata on another beautiful defensive play by Lane and struck out designated hitter Luke Simpson to close out the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Crusaders relief pitcher set the first two batters down easily. The next hitter up, second base man Brett Lawson was hit by a pitch. Peter Carciopollo came in to run for Lawson. Defensive stalwart, Josh Lane was next and he placed a nice bunt down the third base line to reach on a single and move Carciopollo into scoring position at second base. The stage was set for Gottfried. Gottfried sent a line drive past the left fielder to score Carciopollo with the winning run and ignite a well deserved celebration.

“Gottfried is a competitor,” Calvary Manager Mucerino said. “For us to go, he has to hit for us. And today he did that.”

The game was a pitching dual from the outset. Cardinal Newman starting pitcher Tyler Krull pitched four shutout innings before being touched for a run in the fifth inning. He worked into the sixth inning, but was relieved by Hoyt with one out and one on in the sixth. Hoyt was also effective. He held the Eagles scoreless until the deciding run scored in the ninth.

“Our staff has been phenomenal especially here in the playoffs,” Calvary Pitching Coach Mark Klein said. “We have been very stingy with hits and have really come on strong.”

Calvary starting pitcher, Gottfried, was a workhorse, throwing eight innings. Gottfried struck out nine Crusaders batters while walking only two and giving up two hits. Taborda came on in the ninth and surrendered the double by Hoyt.

Andrew Gottfried was the hitting and pitching star for the Eagles in their victory.

“This was a team effort from all of the 18 people on the team,” Gottfried said. “We like to have fun and we love to play baseball. We play baseball as our expression of love for our Lord.”

While the game was well played and tight on the field it did not provide the only drama. Crusader pitcher, Krull was visited on the mound by pitching coach, Ray Allen, in the third inning. After a short conversation, Coach Allen turned to walk back to the dugout. After a few steps, he turned and walked back to the mound, spoke to a few things to Krull and returned to the dugout. Mucerino thought that the reversal and return to the mound by Coach Allen should have been determined as two visits. A lengthy discussion ensued and after about 20 minutes, the two squads were back to the battle on the field.

Cardinal Newman went ahead in the fifth inning by scoring with out a hit. Two infield errors and a walk loaded the bases and a balk by Gottfried allowed a run in. Calvary Christian came right back in the bottom of the fifth. Josh Lane was hit by a pitch, moved to second base on an errant pick off throw and scored on a double to left field by Gottfried.

Andrew Gottfried was the hitting and pitching star for the Eagles in their victory.

Luke Simpson was on base three times for the Cardinal Newman, scoring the only Crusaders run. Lane had two hits for Calvary and scored one run, while Gottfried was 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBI.

Cardinal Newman goes home with the tenth one-run loss of their season, but not without letting the Eagles know they were in a battle.

“We have battled all year,” Manager Sam Howell said. “I think we are the best 11-16 team in the state. We have pushed a lot of good teams to the brink, we just haven’t been able to finish.”

Calvary Christian advances with a meeting with American Heritage-Delray on Tuesday.

“This a senior group that has a lot of confidence,” Mucerino said. “They do not fold. They are completing plays under pressure and that wins ballgames.”

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