Brandon Battista follows through on RBI infield single for Zoned RedHawks 12U.
By Sean Reilly
Josh Sayre’s performance on Friday evening was all about power.
It was evident on the mound, where the right-hander from the Zoned RedHawks 12U continually threw his fastball in the upper 60-mph range, resulting in a strikeout-filled outing against the Hamilton A’s Elite 12U.
It was also shown at the plate, where as the cleanup batter for his Somerset County team, Sayre followed a first-inning single with a game-breaking three-run home in the third inning that landed well beyond the fence in straightaway center field.
The result of it all was a 9-1, five-inning victory for the RedHawks in the opening pool play game for both teams at the 12U Memorial Day Classic, powered by Savo Schalk, at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
Sayre pitched a complete game, allowing four hits with nine strikeouts and three walks. He ended four of the five innings with strikeouts.
“I wasn’t trying to be perfect,” he said. “I was throwing mostly fastballs, and some curves too.”
His home run, on a two-strike count with one out, gave the RedHawks a 5-0 lead.
“It was two strikes and I was just trying to put the ball in play,” he said. “It was good to help the team and help my pitching. Adding to the lead made me more comfortable on the mound.”
Sayre wasn’t the only standout for the RedHawks. Second batter Anthony Mauriello went 3-for-3 with two runs and four RBI. His three-run home run with nobody out in the fifth inning resulted in a mercy-rule ending.
Even though he’s one of the smallest players on the team, Mauriello is one of its leading power hitters. The home run was his fifth of the spring.
“It was fun,” he said of his showing at the plate. “I was just trying to let the ball travel.”
Josh Sayre pitched a four-hitter and hit a three-run home run for Zoned RedHawks 12U.
The RedHawks took a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first inning. Dylan Fiorentino led off with a walk, stole second and scored when Mauriello singled to center.
Ben Ribe led off the second inning for the RedHawks with an infield single, and moved to second when John Palmer singled to left field. Ribe stole third before Palmer took second, and after a strike out, Brandon Battista supplied an RBI single on a slow grounder between the pitcher and third base.
The RedHawks extended their lead to 6-0 in the third inning.
With one out, Mauriello reached on an infield single and continued to second on a throwing error. Noah Irizarry was up next, and was hit by a pitch.
Sayre followed with his home run well into the trees beyond the fence in deep center at Field 2.
After a fly out, Dean Licciardone walked, advanced to third on two wild pitches and then scored as Ribe reached on an error.
The A’s scored their lone run in the fifth. After the first batter was robbed of a hit by an exceptional play by Irizarry at second base, who handled a grounder and threw to first for the out, Isaac Lesperance walked on a full count. Blake Kozlowski also walked and a bunt single from David McLafferty (2-for-2) loaded the bases. Gavin Jones hit a ball that dropped in shallow right field, but resulted in a force out at second base that scored Lesperance from third.
The RedHawks ended the game in quick fashion in the bottom of the frame.
Brandon Dyszler led off and walked. Fiorentino was up next and also walked. Mauriello had a 1-1 count before hitting his home run over the fence in right for the eight-run margin.