Falcons crush Clippers to end regular season

Cumberland likely headed on road to start playoffs

CRANSTON — They were two plays that had no material impact in the Cumberland baseball team’s 10-1 regular-season ending defeat to Cranston West Sunday afternoon.

They were two plays that couldn’t be picked out for their impoartance by simply scanning the scorebook, but they were two plays Clipper coach Andy Tuetken used to emphasize to his team how slim the margins will be in the playoffs.

In the first inning, Zach Fogell lined a single up the middle with Addison Kopack at second base. Kopack, thanks to some deception by Cranston West shortstop Steve Rocchio was fooled on the play and could only advance to third instead of scoring the game’s first run.

One inning later, with Drew Szafranski at second, Nick Crowe looped a single to Steve Piscopiello in center. Szafranski got a poor jump and only managed to get to third, where he was stranded when freshman Shane Calabro grounded into a double play with the bases loaded.

“Those two base running plays could change a whole game,” Tuetken said. “Those are two runs that we could’ve had with a strong secondary lead. Those are things we just talked about that we have to work on with playoff baseball coming. We’re in – and it’s hard enough to get to this point.

“Those little mistakes are going to come back to haunt you in a playoff game. We have to clean those things up.”

Cumberland (10-8 Division I) came into the weekend knowing road victories over East Greenwich and the Falcons would earn the Clippers the No. 4 seed in the Division I playoffs and a first-round home game at Tucker Field on Wednesday.

As it is, the Clippers were downed in backto-back afternoons to finish in a tie for seventh place with Central, North Kingstown, Cranston West and Toll Gate.

Using normal tiebreaker rules, Central would get the No. 7 seed because they beat the other four teams. North Kingstown would be No. 8 followed by Cumberland, Toll Gate and Cranston West. That would mean the Clippers would go to Lischio Field to start the playoffs for the second straight season.

“Being in the playoffs is an accomplishment, but we’re not satisfied with this,” Tuetken said. “The great thing about Division I is it’s wide open. I just told the guys that no matter if we play at home or on the road, it’s playoff time and it’s time to get going. Every team is so evenly balanced that it’s going to be exciting.”

Cranston West (10-8 Division I) won four of its final five games just to earn a trip to the playoffs one season after reaching the state semifinals. Sunday, the Falcons were led by the top of their lineup. Piscopiello had three hits, scored two runs and drove in a run, while Drew Spirito hit a two-run home run in a five-run third inning.

After starter Brett Traficante worked around two hits in the first inning, the Falcons jumped all over Austin Cabral. All-Stater Nik San Antonio (walk), Piscopiello (RBI double), Steve Rocchio (RBI double), Spirito (single) and Mike Doire (walk) reached base before Cabral could record an out.

The Falcons scored three times in the inning, but it would’ve been more if not for some poor base running by Spirito and Doire.

“Give credit to Cranston West, no matter where Austin was throwing the ball they were hitting it hard,” Tuetken said. “They came out on fire today. Austin could’ve done a little better job of locating, but they just hit the ball.”

The Clippers had chances in the second and third innings to keep the game close, but they could only manage one run – a sacrifice fly by Reuben Hancock to score Kopack in the third. Cumberland put two runners on base in six of the seven innings, but the Clippers stranded 10 base runners and saw two innings end with a double play.

“Cranston did an excellent job of driving the baseball and getting hits – something we didn’t do,” Tuetken said. “Step 1 is getting guys on base, and we did that. Step 2 is coming up with that big hit and we were lacking in that today. When we did get a hit, we made some base running lapses.”

Cabral, who gave up a pair of runs in the third inning, was pulled in the fourth inning after hitting Evan Delgaitas. Sophomore Nick Croteau immediately gave up a two-run double to San Antonio and Spirito finished the scoring with a two-run homer to left.

Offensively, the Clippers were led by Fogell, who had a pair of hits. Kopack, Adam Bertherman, Croteau, C.J. Davock and Crowe also had hits.