Newtown Post 440 struggling in Lower Bucks A.L.L.
– If nerves are truly there, you would never know it from the playHUs RI 1HwWRwn 3RsW 440.
At this point in the campaign, claiming the Lower Bucks American Legion League (LBALL) regular season title is out of the question. The players know it, but are not in the least bit phased.
For Post 440, the goal is bigger, and the hope is that over the closing weeks of the campaign, everything comes together for a postseason run and a chance at its second league championship in four years.
“We take it light so we’re not tired in the playoffs,” sDLG fiUsW EDsHPDn .HYLn 7HWD, D CRunFLO 5RFk 1RUWK DOuP wKR MusW finLsKHG KLs freshman year at Harford Junior College in Maryland.
Perhaps it is not a conventional strategy, but it could be successful given the amount of potential and talent this squad enjoys. Only two current players in Teta and Brett Smeraglio are in college, which means the nucleus is young. Yet, there is experience, as eight others have recently graduated high school.
The team’s strength, though, may be its pitching staff as Post 440 is at least six arms deep, thanks to Tyler Scheuer, Jake Connor, Brett McCutcheon, Aden Tully, Drew Petri and Jon 1DyORU. A UHFHnW CDOYDUy Christian graduate, Scheuer is considered the ace. ConnRU, 1DyORU DnG 3HWUL DUH DOO current Holy Ghost Prep students and, along with Tully RI C5 1RUWK, DUH EULJKW marks for the future since they are all underclassmen. McCutcheon, meanwhile, is D UHFHnW C5 1RUWK JUDGuDWH and also getting time on the mound.
“I think our pitching is the key. We have a good staff,” Teta said.
But several members of the rotation are also contributing in the regular lineup. McCutcheon, Petri DnG 1DyORU, IRU LnsWDnFH, batted at the bottom of the RUGHU Ln 1HwWRwn’s KRPH tilt against Yardley Post 317 (Yardley-Western) June 27 DW CRunFLO 5RFk 1RUWK. 0FCutcheon, who started at second base that afternoon, delivered a 1-for-1 performance with a two-run sinJOH Ln WKH ERWWRP RI WKH fiUsW inning. Petri, who played sKRUWsWRS, DnG 1DyORU, wKR wDs Ln OHIW fiHOG, wHUH ERWK 0-for-1.
Tully, meanwhile, earned nRW MusW KLs fiUsW sWDUW Rn WKH mound so far against Post 317, but also the leadoff spot in the lineup. He didn’t disappoint, as he went 1-for-2 with a double while scoring a run.
Tully is part of a loaded punch at the top of the order that also includes Teta and Brett Smeraglio. Teta moved Smeraglio over in WKH fiUsW LnnLnJ WR KHOS sHW uS 1HwWRwn’s fiUsW Uun, DnG followed that up with a RBI single in the second inning. Smeraglio went 1-for-2, while Ryan Baker drove in SPHUDJOLR wKLOH DOsR finLsKing 1-for-2.
“I think we’ve got good players, a talented group of kids,” said McCutcheon, a recent LaSalle College High School graduate who will continue his career at
Widener University. “If everyone pulls together, we can win the championship.”
1HZWRZn FUDnNHG RuW fiYH KLWs Ey fiYH GLIIHUHnW SODyers against Post 317, which was a good boost to the offense it hope continues so as to complement the rotation. Unfortunately for them, Mother Nature was not very cooperative, as the game was postponed in the top of the third inning with Post 317 leading, S-5. Thus, Post 440 remains 3-8 in the LBALL, with wins over Falls, Lower Southampton and Bristol to date.
“We got off to a pretty good start,” said Tully.
“We looked pretty good today,” he continued. “We’re all hitting the ball.”
The problem for Post 440 is two-fold. For one, the de- fense must improve, as was evident in its four errors through 20 at-bats. Further, the numbers are a problem, as there were just 10 players available against YardleyWestern and 18 overall.
lther starters include CR North graduate Anthony Rigous and Holy Ghost Prep rising senior Colin Smeraglio. wach Schram, Brett Newman, Max German and Derek llsen (recent CR North graduates) along with Matt Hand, games Closser and gohn Coppola (current CR North students) are also available to help if need be.
“GRWWD WLJKWHn uS WKH fiHOGing,” said Brett Smeraglio, who currently plays at Neumann University. “We could be a dominant team.”
“That’s the only way people score on us,” added Teta about errors and walks.
Newtown currently sits in sixth place in the LBALL. Post 317, meanwhile, is battling for the regular season title with YardleyMorrisville and Falls. Yardley-Western has a pair of victories over Yardley-Morrisville to date with one contest to be played guly 9. Its success with Falls, though, has not been as strong, as it was swept for its only three league losses so far by scores of 2-1, 11-2 and 4-1. The latter two contests came in a gune 23 doubleheader.
Top pitcher and centerfiHOGHU -usWLn AnGUHZs, D Neshaminy student, has been a force for Post 317. Not only has he thrown well, but is also one of the go-to hitters out of the leadoff spot. He went 3-for-3 with a double against Post 440, while the other leading of- fensive threat, cleanup hitter and fellow Neshaminy product bvan Mulholland, was 1-for-2.
Post 317 belted eight hits against Newtown, as Holy Ghost Prep alum goey Guenther reached base in all of his at-bats.
“[As] gustin goes, we go,” Yardley-Western assistant coach Meade Tenaglia said. “If gustin’s not on base, we struggle to score runs.”
If Post 317 can consistently score runs, the rest should fall into place. bvan Mulholland, Tommy Krieling (third base), gordan Angelo (shortstop), Matt Graham (OHIW fiHOG) DnG 0DWW GUuG]D (second base) are all Neshaminy products and part of the rotation, with Mulholland getting the start against Newtown.
“I love the talent on the team,” Tenaglia said. “It’s really a mixture of old and new. We catch the ball and we throw the ball, and we pitch,” he continued. “I expect to be right there at the HnG.” ♦♦