Hamilton thwarts rally for spot in Final 8
WEST WINDSOR » Winning three games in three days is always impressive. But completing the feat against the team which forced you into the uneviable task? That means you have overcome trials and tribulations.
Hamilton Post 31 reaped the rewards of perseverance Wednesday night, defeating Haddon Heights Post 262 by the score of 5-4 to claim the title of District 2 runner-up and secure a spot in the State Final 8 set to commence Saturday at Moody Park in Ewing.
Post 31 not only won three straight times at Mercer County Park. It did so after what could’ve been a demoralizing 6-5 loss to Haddon Heights on Sunday in which Hamilton blew a lead in the fourth inning, then chipped away only to come up one run short.
Hamilton returned the favor Wednesday by holding off Haddon Heights after rallying from a 2-1 hole.
After six gutsy innings pitched by Ryan Maszarak, Chris Cote converted the save in the bottom of the seventh by escaping a bases loaded jam with a strikeout. Cote retired the first two batters before issuing two walks and two singles to plate a run for Haddon Heights, which entered the inning trailing by two runs.
Both starting pitchers slipped to inauspicious starts with spotty command.
In the top of the first, Hamilton cranked out three base knocks off right-hander Ed Salkowski, including an RBI single by Cote which scored C.J. Pittaro with the bases loaded to give Post 31 a 1-0 lead.
Haddon Heights’ offense responded by taking the lead in the bottom of the frame. Meszaros hit the leadoff man and walked another batter, then yielded an RBI single to Jose Urena and another run on a wild pitch.
With runners on second and third for Hamilton in the third, Ryan Mostrangeli drove in Joey Sacco with a single up the middle to tie the game. Then Post 31 went back in front when Pittaro crossed the plate despite Jake Beyer grounding into a 6-4-3 double play.
Hamilton maintained its lead going into the fourth thanks to a superb diving catch in center field by Mostrangeli, who threw to second to double up a runner who inevitably would’ve scored had the ball dropped.
The bottom of Post 31’s order extended the lead to 4-2 in the top of the inning when Brady Plunkett legged out a triple and Kenny Zahn followed with an RBI single. Zahn was later caught stealing second when Haddon Heights second baseman Andrew Phillips scooped a ball in the dirt and applied the tag just in time.
Haddon Heights again threatened in the bottom of the fourth with runners on first and second. But Maszarak recovered from consecutive walks by fanning Chad Ball to strike out the side.
Haddon Heights inched within 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth thanks to three consecutive opposite-field hits on outside pitches. Bill Hunt’s stroke to right field scored Pat Durkin.
But Maszarak dug deep again with runners at the corners, inducing a groundout to second base to Pittaro, who manuevered a peculiar bounce in the dirt to get the out and end the inning. In total, Maszarak left four Haddon Heights runners stranded in scoring posiition.
Pittaro came up clutch again in the seventh by delivering a key insurance run with a twoout single to center, scoring Zahn to push Hamilton’s lead back to two runs. The jubilant Post 31 player celebrated with on-deck batter Mostrangeli after crossing home plate with two chants of ‘Let’s go, baby!’
Thanks to perseverance, Post 31 is one of the last eight American Legion teams standing in New Jersey.
Hamilton 102 100 1— Haddon Heights200 001 1— 2B—
H: Pittaro; H: Plunkett; H: Cote, Mostrangeli, Zahn, Pittaro. HH: Urena, Hunt.
3B— WP— Team Records —
Maszarak (6-2); Salkowski (7-4). H (25-6), HH (21-12).
LP— 5 4 11 7 0 1 RBIs —