Monday, June 10, 2013

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Staff Writer

Cole Pewor knocking in the winning run in the top of the seventh inning for Cinnaminson, which beat Mahwah, 2-1, for the Group 2 state title on Sunday in Toms River.

TOMS RIVER – In a season that has seen Mahwah win 27 games to go with a league title and a second straight North 1, Group 2 state sectional title, there has not been too much to look back on with regret. But, oh, that bottom of the sixth inning in the Group 2 state final on Sunday against Cinnaminson is one that the Thunderbirds would certainly like to have back. The game was tied at 1 and Mahwah loaded the bases with no outs against Cinnaminson starter John Bednarek, whose pitch count was already well over 100.

It was a turning point and Bednarek, along with every one else at Toms River South High School, knew it.

“I just tried to hit spots. They were swinging at a lot pitches, they were aggressive, so I was hoping to make something happen and get out of that,” said Bednarek, a senior left-hander. “It was a championship game and I had to get us through it.”

Out No. 1 for Bednarek came on a one-hopper back to the mound on which he threw to catcher Cody MacNair for the force. Then a strikeout looking and one swinging preserved the tie game. In the top of the seventh, Cinnaminson scraped together a run with a two-out single, grabbing a 2-1 win and the program's first ever state championship while keeping Mahwah from back-to-back titles.

CJ Musumeci coming down the line with Mahwah's lone run in the bottom of the third inning.

“That certainly was [the chance]. With bases loaded and no outs you think you are at least going to score one run,” said Mahwah head coach Jeff Remo. “ That was probably all we would have needed at that point in the game.”

Cinnaminson showed no jitters against the defending champ as shortstop Tyler DiPascale led off the game with a single and, after a walk to Cole Pewor and a single by MacNair, the Pirates had the bases loaded with one out against Mahwah ace Chris Baldi, the winning pitcher in last season's state final. Michael Cosgrove drew a walk to force in the game's first run, but after that Baldi regained his touch and was dominant. He got a strike out and a pop up to leave 'em loaded in the opening inning and after giving up two hits in that frame, he did not surrender another until the decisive top of the seventh.

That left plenty of time for the Thunderbirds to get even and they did it in the bottom of the third spurred by CJ Musumeci's leadoff single and the ensuing sacrifice bunt by Mike Altamuro. John Pantano then bunted for a base hit, but it turned out even better than that as the ball was thrown into rightfield and Musumeci scored from second to tie the game at 1. Mahwah spoiled a chance to go ahead by popping up and grounding out with the bases loaded later in the frame.

For Mahwah, the story was runners left on base as it stranded nine in the game and five combined in the third and fourth innings in addition to the bases loaded in the sixth. Cinnaminson had less to work with as, in innings two through six, Baldi allowed just four baserunners and of those one was hit by a pitch and one reached on an error.

Cinnaminson starter John Bednarek pitched out of a bases loaded, no-out situation in the bottom of the sixth inning without allowing a run.

For the game, Baldi threw all seven innings and allowed just four hits and five walks while striking out six and he got the first out of the seventh before walking pinch hitter Jimmy Cicale, who was bunted up a base by his brother, Harry, to get back to the top of the lineup with two outs. DiPascale (2-for-4, R), the leadoff hitter, singled into leftfield to put runners on the corners for Cole Pewor, who delivered the game-winning hit, a hard grounder through the left side of the infield.

“After we got three straight outs with the bases loaded [in the sixth], that was a big momentum swing for us going into the seventh and we just needed one batter to get on to turn the lineup over,” said Pewor, Cinnaminson's senior second baseman. “Then [DiPascale] got on and I knew it was up to me and I knew I could do it.”

Pewor was behind in the count at 1-2 when Baldi tried to get him to chase a breaking ball off the plate. Pewor started to go, but checked his swing in time according to the first base umpire and then hit the game-winner on the next pitch.

“I do a lot of check swings against curveballs. I lean my body out, but my bat doesn't go anywhere,” said Pewor. “I could see where [Mahwah] was coming from [when they asked for the appeal], but I know I didn't swing.”

Mahwah starter Chris Baldi did not allow a hit in the second through sixth innings and only gave up four in the game.

That left Mahwah behind by a run heading into its final at bat against Bednarek (7 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 6 K, 4 BB) and his climbing pitch count. After getting two groundball outs to start the inning, he did issue a two-out walk to Matt Krupa, but then struck out the final batter of the game two finish off the complete game win.

“This is crazy. It feels great. When the season started we knew we were good, but we didn't know we would be this good,” said Bednarek, one of five seniors in the Cinnaminson (22-9) starting lineup. “We knew that if we just focused and played our game then we figured we would be able to make something happen and we did in the seventh inning.”

The loss was a tough one for Mahwah, which was bidding to become Bergen County's repeat state baseball champion since Emerson won back-to-back Group 1 title in 2000 and 2001, but the fact that the Thunderbirds were just one of 12 left playing on the season's final day a year after winning it all is still a major accomplishment.

“These kids have to realize that and it is going to take a while for it to sink in, but they had a great season,” said Remo. “They were 27-4 and made the state final.”

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