Ferrer’s gem advances Kingston to title game
Tigers look to repeat as Section 9, Class AA champs after junior hurler throws no-hitter against Monroe-Woodbury
Joe Ferrer made Thursday night’s semifinal game at Burke Field one to remember as he pitched a nohitter to lead Kingston High back into the Section 9, Class AA championship game.
The Tigers defeated Monroe-Woodbury 6-0 and, with their 12th consecutive victory, will look to repeat as champions when they take on Warwick at 4 p.m. Saturday at Saugerties’ Cantine Field. Warwick upset top-seeded Pine Bush 8-7 to earn its title berth.
Ferrer needed just 70 pitches for his gem, striking out four. He ran into his only trouble in the seventh inning. A hit a batter was sandwiched between a pair of strikeouts, then Ferrer issued his only walk. It was the first time the Crusaders had gotten a runner to second in the contest. The junior, however, got the next batter to hit a grounder for the final out.
“That was an outstanding outing tonight by Joe. It truly was a culmination of what he has done all year for us,” Kingston coach Mike Groppuso said. “He is coming off back-to-back 1-0 three-hit complete-game
shutouts and now tonight. Everything was working and he kept Monroe-Woodbury off balance all night. They never really hit the ball hard tonight.”
It was Kingston’s first nohitter since Jeff Hayner’s perfect game against Middletown last year.
Ferrer’s RBI single put Kingston ahead in the fourth.
The Tigers broke it open with a three-run fifth. Singles and good base running by Brady Short and Fritz Genther set up Jon Kivlan’s big two-run single. Garrett Warnecke brought Kivlan home with a two-out single.
Kingston tacked on two more runs in the sixth on a walk and a hit batter with the bases loaded.
Genther had a pair of hits for the Tigers, who banged out 10 altogether. Steven Campione took the loss.
Kingston is 15-5 heading into the title game and playing some of its best baseball.
“Tonight was the closet we have come to playing our cleanest game. Joe was outstanding, we came through with some big hits, were outstanding on the bases and played good defense,” Groppuso said. “These kids have learned and grown as one. They have been able to apply it at high level and with a lot of confidence. They have certainly earned this opportunity to play for a sectional championship.”