New Becahi coach celebrates first EPC win with former Golden Hawks coach by his side
A groundball to third base ended Bethlehem Catholic’s 6-2 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference baseball win over visiting Northampton Tuesday night and as the Golden Hawks quickly left their dugout and went through the gate to congratulate the guys coming off the field, Mike Grasso wanted to offer his congrats.
Grasso had been associated with Becahi for 45 years, the last 34 seasons as head coach.
He was just as excited for Matt Corsi’s first EPC win as coach as he was for his 380 wins, including two league and four District 11 championships.
Grass os at on a bucket outside the Be ca hi dugout for most of the game and offered encouragement to the players as they came off the field or prepared to bat.
“These are great kids,” Grasso said several times.
But Grasso understands it’s Corsi’s team now and he was just happy to be healthy enough to attend the game as a fan at Tuesday’s game as Becahi improved to 2-0 as it begins a new season and new era.
Corsi played for Grasso before graduating in 1999. He began his coaching career at Becahi 20 years ago and spent three years before leaving for Central Catholic for nine season sand Allen for four. This is his fourth seasons back with Becahi and got his first victory Saturday, a 3-1 nonleague win over Pottsville.
Like everyone associated with the school and local baseball, Corsi loves Grasso and what he has meant to the program.
“I love that he’s been here at our two home games so far,” Corsi said. “He actually asked me if he was bothering me. I said absolutely not and said here’s a bucket and you can sit right next to me. Of course, he did.”
COVID-19 took away so much from so many last spring, including Grass o’ s chance to make one final trek around the league to say good-bye. He said he was thankful to be at Tuesday’s game and get to see veteran umpires Bobby Andrews and Frank D’Angelo as well as Northampton coach Mick Sugra.
“The relationship between Coach Gr as so and and my dad[ former Northampton baseball coach MikeSug ra] goes back a long way,” Sugra said. “Every time I see him, he has asked about my dad and was looking for him. So, it was different today that he wasn’t coaching. But at the same time when I came out to give the lineups in the pregame meeting, who came out? It was Mike. I was talking to him over on the side. He has done so much for Bethlehem Catholic and the EPC baseball scene. He’s such a great ambassador for the sport. It’s a shame he didn’t get that last year because of what happened last spring.”
Grasso, though, isn’t complaining. He was happy to root on Corsi and the kids he helped to groom.
There was plenty to cheer on this day as Becahi scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning before Northampton could even get an out.
Chaise Al bus, Eric We rt and Cole Her sh man highlighted a nine-hit attack with two hits apiece. All three had doubles. All-area catcher Matt Martinez added a hit and two walks.
But it wasn’t just the offense that pleased Corsi.
“Our pitching has been phenomenal, we got timely hitting, we’re running the bases well … we’re firing on all cylinders right now,” Corsi said. “Eric Wert had a tough game against Pottsville but bounced with two big hits today. Matty Martinez is everything we think he is and Jaden Clements played phenomenal defense at third, especially since he was supposed to be our starter at second.”
Clements moved from second to third because Anthony Martinez, one of three Martinez brothers in the Becahi starting lineup, took a bad-hop grounder to the face and lost a couple of teeth. After being out for more than a week to recover, Martinez moved to right field.
He did get back to the infield as a pitcher against Northampton and tossed two quality innings in relief. Martinez, working to his brother behind the plate, allowed just one hit and struck out three.
He followed Beckham McNally to the mound after McNally worked five strong innings, giving up three hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
Joe Kerbacher, Northampton’s talented three-sport athlete, had two of the four K-Kids’ hits.
“It was really a team effort and a lot of guys stepped up today ,” Co rs is aid .“It was a win in the conference and the [Northampton County] division. But we know every game is going to be a dog fight. We’re going to be in everything. I expect us to compete day in and day out.”
The teams are scheduled for a rematch at Northampton’ s Li set ski Field at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.