Cossetti helps power Whiz Kids past Braves
It’s a return home for Andrew Cossetti.
“We all played together when we were younger, growing up, through our travel ball team,” Cossetti said of his new teammates. “I never thought I would get a chance to play with these guys again but this opportunity came around and I wasn’t gonna pass it up.”
Cossetti and the Philly Whiz Kids are enjoying their time in the Pendel League this summer, and on Thursday night they hammered out a 3-2 victory over the Warminster-Centennial Braves on a hot, muggy evening at Munro Community Park.
“We’re finally getting to play baseball again. It feels like it’s been forever,” said Cossetti, a La Salle College High School product who now plays at St. Joe’s University.
BIG START » The Whiz Kids (1-2) went right to work in their first at-bat.
Isaiah Winikur belted a leadoff home run to right to quickly put the visitors in front against left-hander Ryan Rieber.
With one out, Liam Bendo singled to left center and cleanup man Andrew Cossetti hammered a two-run shot to left center, boosting the margin to 3-0.
“I felt pretty good. I was just happy to help the team get off to an early start,” said Cossetti, who reached base all three times he came up to bat (HR, two walks). “We have a lot of hitters,
a lot of guys that play in college and do pretty well.”
Rieber settled down, keeping the Whiz Kids off the scoreboard the rest of the way. He retired them in order in the fourth, striking out two that inning, with C.J. Goodz making a sliding catch in center for the other out.
Meanwhile, Philly starter
J.P. Nolan didn’t surrender a hit the first three innings as the Whiz Kids built their lead.
Jbari Cox provided the first hit of the night for the Braves (0-4), singling through the left side of the infield in the fourth. Charles “Chewy” Longshore followed with an infield single, but Nolan got out of the inning unscathed.
The Braves did dent the scoreboard in the fifth.
A.J. Shapiro and Mason
Fisher had back-toback singles to get things started, and with one out, Chris Pow check-swinged into an infield hit to push a runner across and make it 3-1.
Nolan retired the next two batters to keep the difference at two.
Said Cossetti, who was behind the plate all evening: “J.P. was a little inconsistent his last game throwing strikes so he was excited to pitch today. He was pretty pumped to
pitch that well so hopefully he keeps it up going forward.”
FINISHING IT OFF » A.J. Hansen pitched the final two innings for the Whiz Kids to close things out.
The Braves tightened things to 3-2 in the sixth when Cox singled and later scored on a wild pitch, but Hansen notched a pair of K’s in the seventh to help shut the door.
Cossetti is glad to be playing ball, and looks forward to more of it next
year at St. Joe’s.
“It’s awesome. I’ve always liked the school and love the coaches,” he said. “The main reason I went there was for the coaches because they’re so great. It feels like home. It’s not too far away so my parents can come watch me. It was a great fit for me and a great decision and hopefully we can put together a good season next year.”
The Braves are back in action Tuesday night, hosting defending league champ LOMA
Park at 6:15.
The Philly Whiz Kids travel to LOMA on Wednesday for a 6:15 game at Alverthorpe Park. at Munro
Philly Whiz Kids 3, Warminster-Centennial Braves 2
Philly Whiz Kids 300 000 0 — 3 7 2 Warminster-Centennial 000 011 0 — 2 7 1
WP: J.P. Nolan (5IP, 1R, 1ER, 5H, 3K, 1BB). LP: Ryan Rieber (7IP, 3R, 3ER, 7H, 1K, 3BB, 1HBP).
HR: P-Isaiah Winikur, Andrew
2B: P-A.J. Hansen.
Multiple Hits: P-Winikur 2-for-4, R, RBI; W-Chris Pow 2-for-3, BB, RBI; Jbari Cox 2-for-3, R.
Cossetti.