Saturday, May 4, 2013

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

In just his second at bat since recovering from a dislocated finger, Ramapo senior John Brzozowski watches his pinch hit double in the bottom of the sixth inning that cleared the bases and ended the Raiders' 10-0 win over rival Indian Hills on Friday afternoon.

FRANKLIN LAKES – With the change in the way the Bergen County Baseball Tournament field will be selected this season, all the Ramapo baseball team might have won on Friday afternoon was a consolation prize. In any year before this one, the Green Raiders' 10-0, six-inning win over rival Indian Hills would have been just the kind of resume builder head coach Mickey Hunt could have used to lobby the committee for an at large bid to the county tournament. Although the 9-8 record would not have met the .650 winning percentage needed for automatic entry, a mercy rule win over a team already safely in the field along with a healthy strength of schedule more than likely would have gotten Ramapo in.

This year, it is a long shot at best. The shift to a power points based criteria that takes into account only the first 16 games a team plays means that Friday's impressive win does nothing to enhance Ramapo's credentials prior to Monday night's selection meeting. Although Ramapo passes the 'eye test', meaning it looks like a team that not only should make the county tournament but one that could also do some damage in it, its chances of being included are slim at best.

“We are kind of in the position like Old Tappan was in last year when they didn't make the county [tournament] with a team that could have probably won some games in it,” said Hunt. “When we have one of our top two pitchers going I think we can play with anybody in the county, but it is going to be tough to get in with an 8-8 record.”

The evidence of just how good Ramapo could be on any given day against a high-quality opponent came against Indian Hills, which came in with an 11-5 record and its place in the county tournament already assured. Coming off the no-hitter he threw against Ridgewood on Monday, Ramapo junior Mike Vranesich backed that up with a two-hitter on Friday that turned into a complete game when John Brzozowski's pinch hit, bases loaded double with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning brought the game to an early conclusion via the mercy rule.

AJ LoPresti went the first four-plus innings for Indian Hills, which fell to 11-6 on the season.

Vranesich worked himself into trouble on a few occasions, but was able to rear back and throw his high 80s fastball past enough hitters in big spots to let none of the seven walks he issued come back to bite him. He walked the bases loaded in the first inning, but struck out two in the same frame to escape trouble. In all, he struck out seven with his only two hits allowed coming on singles by Rich Pagano and Devin Torres in the top of the third.

“It's fun and I am going to enjoy this while it lasts. Every game from here on out is big and I just want to keep it rolling, especially today against Indian Hills because they mercied us the first time we played them,” said Vranesich, the No. 2 in the Ramapo rotation behind senior Matt Osieja. “I just went at them with my fastball today and threw in a curveball now and then just to try to mix them up.”

There was no fooling the Ramapo bats as the Raiders took the lead for good in the top of the first innings and went on to bang out 11 hits off of three different Indian Hills pitchers. Andrew Mullen drew a walk to lead off Ramapo's first turn at bat and Matt Giacose (2-for-4, R) and Logan Schulte (3-for-4, 2 R, SB) followed with singles to load the bases. Josh Abolt got an RBI the hard way after being hit by a pitch and Armand Biagini's fielder's choice made it 2-0.

Biagini (2-for-3, RBI, 2 R), a sophomore playing in just his second game since being called up from the JV, also had an RBI double in a three-run third inning, a single in the two-run fifth, a walk in the three-run sixth. He now has four hits in his first two varsity games and also made a couple of nice plays defensively at first base.

Andy Gilard making contact with the two-run double that gave Ramapo a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth.

“I am so happy to have this chance and I just want to do whatever I can to help the team win,” said Biagini. “I have to keep a level head, not get too upset if things don't go my way all the time and do whatever I can either at the plate or in the field. There is a huge difference between JV and varsity and I just have to make the adjustment and pitch in.”

Nick Grasso had the big hit in the bottom of the third, a two-out, two-run double that gave Ramapo a 5-0 lead and Andy Gilard roped a two-out, two-run double to drive in both runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 7-0. With the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, Brzozowski, in his only at bat as a pinch hitter, got to prove that he was all the way back.

Just shy of one month ago, Brzozowksi dove back into first base in the Green Raiders' second game of the season and dislocated the pinky on his right hand. He had surgery the same day, but made it back in just three-and-a-half weeks. His at bat in the sixth inning was just his second since his return and he crushed the ball into the right-centerfield gap to clear the bases and end the game.

“I hurt my finger in the second game of the season in my first at bat and I am just thankful that I was able to come back at all. It is my senior year and missing three-and-a-half weeks was tough, but it could have been the whole year,” said Brzozowski. “I just want to help the team. I don't know the future holds for me or what my role is going to be from here, but I am just happy that I was able to show the coaches that I am back healthy and ready to play.”

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