Casmir Ostrowski fires to the plate for Canes New England 17U in Super 17 Invitational.
By Rich Bevensee
The Ostrowski brothers may not be the first set of twins to be battery mates for a baseball team, but their unmatched chemistry is definitely the reason why Canes New England 17U have a shot at winning games any time they take the field.
Casmir, a right-handed pitcher, and Theo, a catcher, have been playing pitch and catch since they were old enough to hold a Wiffle ball and bat. So they know each other’s tendencies and strengths. That was never more evident than on Friday morning when they took on the Philadelphia Reds lineup at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
With his brother Theo calling all pitches, Casmir tossed a one-hit, complete game shutout with eight strikeouts in a 2-0 victory over the Reds in Week 2 of the Super 17 Invitational Powered by Victus.
“We don’t always agree on what pitch to throw, but when he is throwing well, he is super fun to catch,” Theo said.
The victory capped a 3-1 week for the Canes, who mostly hail from Massachusetts. Unfortunately that record wasn’t quite enough to finish in the top five in the standings. The top five teams – four of them finished 4-0 – earned an invitation to play in the Top 25 Showcase at ‘The Nation’ in August.
The Reds, which finished the week 2-1-1, were led by a high school freshman who tossed a gem of his own against the Canes. Mike Wagner, who just finished his freshman year at LaSalle College High School in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, permitted just two hits and one unearned run over five innings.
Mike Wagner accounted for the Reds’ only base hit and also allowed one hit over five innings pitched.
Canes coach Shaun Secondini said the twins insist that Theo must catch if Casmir is pitching. They are that tight.
“I feel confident when he’s behind the plate,” Casmir said. “Sometimes I’ll get a new catcher and he won’t know my tendencies. He won’t know to set up on the outside corner when I’ve missed out a couple times. Theo just knows where to be all the time. He’s my rock. He’s just there. I have confidence that he’s not going to mess up.”
Casmir employed an 80 mph fastball, knuckle-curve and cutter to silence Reds bats. The Canes never really landed in hot water defensively – the Reds had just three baserunners – but two of those runners moved into scoring position with one out and Casmir stranded them both times thanks to thoughtful and clever pitch sequencing.
“I’ve been catching him forever, been playing baseball with him since Wiffle ball in the backyard,” Theo said. “So I know what his pitches are, I know what they’re going to do and I know what he needs to do in certain situations. I think I know him inside and out.”
The twins, who hail from Essex, Mass., recently graduated from Covenant Christian Academy in Peabody, Mass. Casmir (6-2, 190) is headed for Grove City College in Grove City, Pa. Theo (6-2, 225) is going to play for Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Theo, batting second, singled in his first at bat and finished 1-for-3. Casmir, batting third, went 0-for-2 but drove in an important insurance run with a groundout his third at bat in the top of the seventh inning.
“Cas was fantastic, pounding the fastball and mixing his breaking ball, and Theo does a great job mixing it up,” Secondini said. “There are just different things they do that other combinations wouldn’t do. Just a really good relationship between the two of them.”
Canes New England twins and battery mates Theo and Casmir Ostrowski worked a one-hit shutout.
The Canes opened the scoring in the first inning when Theo singled and was replaced by courtesy runner Nolan Gannon, who advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and scored when Scott Beuoy’s line drive went off the Reds third baseman’s glove.
The Canes managed just three more baserunners between the second and sixth innings mostly due to Wagner, who pitched out of danger despite allowing four walks. Wagner struck out two.
“Their kid threw fantastic in keeping our guys off balance,” Secondini said. “We had a pretty quiet dugout and that was due to him.”
Liam Clouser took over for Wagner and pitched a scoreless sixth.
In the seventh, Canes leadoff man Brady Isabelle singled, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored that big insurance run on Casmir’s one-out groundout to first.