Blake, Russo lead Hopewell to a win over Notre Dame
PENNINGTON » Andy Blake’s first varsity start on the mound and Grayson Russo’s first varsity at-bat provided pleasant memories for each player and an impressive win for the Hopewell Valley Central High baseball team.
The Bulldogs rode Blake’s arm and Russo’s bat to a 9-1 victory over Notre Dame in delayed season openers for both teams Thursday.
Blake, who has started for Hopewell Post 339 and relieved for the Bulldogs, allowed four hits, three walks, a hit batsmen and one run while striking out five in six innings. Russo went 3-for-3 with a walk, run and delivered a two-run single in the second inning that proved to be the only runs Hopewell would need.
“I was ready to go out there, I was excited,” said Blake, who mixed in several knuckleballs with an outstanding curveball and effective fastball. “I wasn’t really nervous.”
“We’ve been telling Andy all along, ‘You’re gonna pitch a lot of innings,’” coach Ken Harrison said. “He was ready. We were counting on him to go at least five. He went six and did a helluva job.”
Russo feels Blake will be the real deal this year, but was pleasantly surprised at how quick he showed how real he can be.
“He was lights out,” the rightfielder said. “I knew he had it in him. I just didn’t think he would do so well on his first try.”
Russo wasn’t too shabby on his first try either. In the bottom of the second, Drew Brodine doubled, Mike Savas got an infield single and Marc Porpora sacrificed them to second and third. With the infield in, Russo singled to right to give HoVal a 2-0 lead in his first at-bat in the big time.
“The kid (Tom Mayer) was throwing hard,” Russo said. “He gave me a curveball second pitch and I was looking for that again and I just happened to square up a fastball.”
Both Blake and Harrison felt it was a key hit, despite it being early in the game.
“For a first varsity hit, none bigger than that,” Harrison said. “It was a great job by him. He got a fastball, hit it hard and that set the tone. It calmed us down a little bit.”
“That was huge,” Blake said. “Right off the bat that boosts our morale. For me it’s, ‘OK, I have some runs to work with,’ and maybe I don’t have to be so perfect. But you still have to be careful because Notre Dame’s so good.”
Blake had to be especially careful in the top of the fourth when the Irish loaded the bases with none out. The senior responded by getting a 1-2-3 double play, and a comebacker to the mound to escape unscathed. Blake used his curve to induce the double play.
“I have faith in my pitches so in my mind, I knew I was gonna get out of it,” the hurler said. “Even though they’re a great team, I knew in my heart I could make those pitches and get a ground ball. I didn’t know it was coming back to me. But when it came back to me I knew what to do from my shortstop positioning.”
“That was the turning point right there,” said Harrison, who never went to the mound to talk to Blake. “He’s got a lot of varsity experience. He knows what he’s doing. Work your way out, be tough. Andy’s played a lot of big games. He knows what’s going on.”
Hopewell broke it open with a six-run fifth inning, as Brodine and Porpora (on a bunt) each had two-run singles Jason Greenzang hit an RBI double. Cole Hare, Savas and Brodine each finished with two hits.
“This was awesome,” Russo said. “We’ve been in the gym all spring, we waited a long time for this.”
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Notre Dame (0-1) 000 001 0 — 1 4 1 Hopewell Valley (1-1) 020 061 — 9 11 0 WP: Blake (1-0). LP: Mayer (0-1). 2B: N-Buecker, Rosica. H-Hare, Brodine, Greenzang. RBI: N-Trimble. H-Brodine 2, Porpora 2, Potter, Russo 2, Greenzang.