LaRose hurls CALL past Lincoln, 12-2
LINCOLN – Neither skipper Tony Tarara of Cumberland American nor Ken LaBrie of Lincoln saw this coming.
Before the start of a R.I. Little League District IV Major Division (11-12) All-Star Tournament preliminary tilt on Saturday morning, both indicated they thought it would be a tight, low-scoring affair with defense at a premium.
That prognostication, however, fell by the wayside rather quickly, as Cumberland American’s best exploded for six runs in both the second and third frames to coast to a 12-2 “mercy-rule” victory before perhaps 200 fans at Randy Hien Memorial Field at Lonsdale Park.
Lincoln did notch two in the top of the fourth, but left the bases loaded. At the end of that frame, umpires cited the 10run “mercy” rule.
CALL utilized an outstanding effort by righty starter Jack LaRose, who hurled a no-hitter with three walks and fanned five through a three-plus inning stint, and timely hitting to improve to 2-0 in the tourney. He also faced only one batter over the minimum.
Lincoln, on the other hand, never could develop a groove either on the hill or in the field en route to dropping its tournament opener. LaBrie’s bunch committed three critical errors while registering only one hit; ironically, that came by Lincoln starter Jake Foster, who had issues with his command early on.
“We played a great team, and this was a good measuring stick to see where we are,” LaBrie stated. “This shows we’re not ready to compete against a team like that right now.
“Every single player and every coach needs to find a way to get better. I thought we prepared well for this game, but it all came down to execution in all phases, and we didn’t execute,” he continued. “Beforehand, I expected a battle, a tough, six-inning, one-run game with both teams making great plays, and that the team that made the most would earn the victory.
“But they showed up and we didn’t, not as a team or a coaching staff; that’s on me. We have to find a way to improve.”
Highlighting CALL’s offense was catcher J.J. Sanzi, who finished 1-for-2 with a three-run home run, walk, four RBIs and a run scored; while clean-up batter Jerry Cote went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs; Scotty Penney 1-for-1 with a walk, RBI and run; Elijah Cinieri 1-for1 with a run; George Sukatos 1-for-2 with a run; Dante Figueira 1-for-1 with a run; and Andre Mastin 0-for-2 with two runs.
CALL now will prepare itself for another contest slated for Wednesday, though Tarara doesn’t yet know the opponent, site or time. Lincoln will play on the same date, but LaBrie is unsure of the same details.
“We won our first one; we had to play a play-in game against Burrillville last Monday, and we won it, 8-2,” Tarara noted. “It’s because we have nine teams in the district, and our name was pulled from a hat.”
When asked about LaRose’s fine outing, he grinned, “Jack is a beast. He’s only 11, but he brings it on every pitch. He has many different arm angles and wind-ups that change all the time, so he confuses the hitters. He also has a knuckler that falls off the table.
“I have to say I never anticipated this type of game,” he added. “I expected more of a challenge (because) Lincoln’s always one of the best teams in our district, but we jumped on them early and kept the foot on the gas pedal. Still, don’t take anything away from Lincoln. They just had an off day.”
What pleased Tarara most was that his battery of LaRose (then George Sukatos) and Sanzi called their own pitches.
“They did a magnificent job,” he said. “I give them that freedom because the kids know what to do and when to do it. They’re extremely baseball-savvy.”
This is, for the most part, the same group that captured the state 10-11 Major Division title last summer against Warwick North in Wickford.
“I feel extremely blessed to have this team; they’re a great group of kids who always have each other’s back. The only new kids are Jack, Scotty Penney and Sean Gauvin, and they’re making an impact already.”
CALL threatened in the bottom of the first when Mastin and Charlie Tarara both accepted leadoff walks, and Cote moved them up with a groundout to second, but Foster fanned Sanzi to skirt the issue.
He wasn’t as lucky in the second, however. He issued a pass to Penney, Figueira stroked a single to center and – with one out – George Sukatos blooped a hit to right-center to load the bags. Mastin then floated a shot to right-center, but Elijah Moffat couldn’t handle it, and that allowed Penney and Figueira to score.
That’s when LaBrie chose to move to reliever Nathan Turcotte, yet Tarara reached on an infield single to refill the bases. Turcotte whiffed LaRose for the second out, but Cote’s infield hit plated Sukatos (shortstop Marcus Rodrigues made a phenomenal diving stop to prevent more runs), and Sanzi’s “freebie” allowed Mastin to trot home.
Penney’s single scored Tarara, and Cote scampered in on a wild pitch to push the lead to 6-0.
All told, CALL sent 12 batters to the plate.
The “hosts” on this day tacked on six more in the third off of three different hurlers, and all came with two outs.
Matt Gauvin started the rally with a walk, though he was thrown out at second on Mastin’s fielder’s choice. Ryan Thompson, Lincoln’s third righty reliever, then struck out Tarara with a stellar breaker, but LaRose singled, and Sean Gauvin served as pinch-runner. Cote then smoked a ground hit up the middle, and Sanzi crushed his three-run blast just to the right of the 217-foot sign in straightaway center to make it 10-0.
Penney then singled to left, and Figueira reached on a fielding miscue at first. Cinieri’s hit down the third-base line plated Gauvin, and fellow pinchrunner James Sukatos scored on another error.
LaRose walked both Turcotte and Rodrigues to begin the fourth before the manager Tarara replaced him with George Sukatos, a southpaw, and he passed Thompson to load the bags. Matt Colando’s fielder’s choice plated Turcotte before Foster’s two-out, Baltimore-chop single to right scored Rodrigues.
When pinch-hitter Jake Kye walked, Sukatos faced another bases-jammed situation, yet Moffat fouled out to first to end the blowout.
“You have to give them credit; they played a very well-executed game,” LaBrie sighed. “I feel like they didn’t win the game but we lost it. We made too many mistakes. The bottom line is they executed, and we didn’t.
“Like I said, I expected it to be a barnburner.”