Somers 11u Cruises into Semi Finals with 9-2 Victory

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Last week, Somers 11u opened the Greater Hudson Valley Baseball League playoffs and overcame a 6-0 deficit to win the first round by a score of 12-6. Round two, Luca Guaragna took to the hill and admitted the playoffs add a little pressure. Nonetheless, he knows where the release is.

“You just try not to think about it,” said the starter, and the intensity stayed off his mind en route to a 9-2 quarterfinal victory over WallKill.

He began his four inning scoreless streak with a pair of strikeouts and gladly relied on centerfielder Mikey DeLuca to make a running catch for the third out. Then the bats got started.

Colton Gorgone walked, stole second and Bryce Penzo pushed his teammate over with a sacrifice fly to right. One out, Jon Lantz singled and Somers led 1-0.

Back to the mound, Guaragna continued his good work. He got two fly balls, and Lucas Robinson and DeLuca made the catches. A walk following, the Tusker ended the inning with a strikeout, and Somers was ready to go to town.

JJ Holub lined a single with one out, Ryan Colderbank reached on an error at short and Guaragna loaded the bases with his line drive single to left. A walk then as good as a hit, Gorgone went by the numbers. “On 2-0 counts, I usually take a pitch,” and two pitches later the shortstop made good.

Run number two crossing, the strike zone came into view for Bryce Penzo. The pitches kind of slow, said the catcher, “I just saw the ball and swung.”

Two more runs and Lantz and Mike Paulmeno followed with singles for a 5-0 lead. So Lucas Robinson got selective for Somers again. “You need a good eye and can’t swing at pitches that aren’t strikes,” said Robinson after his walk.

A double steal brought in another run, and despite being in a slump over the last few games, Justin Mariani completed the inning by going with his coach’s encouragement. “He told me to be aggressive, stop thinking and just swing,” said the designated hitter.

Singling to center, he gave Somers a commanding 8-0 lead, and following suit, Guaragna took charge on the mound in the third. He got two infield pop outs, and with runners on first and second, he made easy work of a comebacker.

Somers threatened in the bottom of the inning, but also failed to get a run in. No problem, Guaragna got the first two outs in the fourth, and Somers seemed to be on cruise control.

The last out proved to be elusive, though. A single and two walks, the base loaded threat did have the starter using his wits in this instance. “I saw the way he swung and pitched it where he couldn’t hit it,” Guaragna explained.

Strike three, Somers would add a run on JJ Holub’s fly to center, and there was not much cause for concern when two runs were surrendered in the fifth. Three outs to go, the first one is always nice.

But a line drive heading up the middle didn’t quite agree so Gorgone kept things amenable for his team. “I just tracked it down, knowing I had the best chance to get it and just reached out as far as I could,” said the shortstop of his snare.

Colderbank got the last two outs, and two wins to go, Mariani putting the math in simple English. “We’re going all the way,” he concluded.

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