Swee Goes Old and New School to Beat Bardi Osteria

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After falling behind 3-0 to Bardi Osteria, Swee Brand Works loaded the bases in the top of the second and Chris Herzegovitch came up knowing his limitations. “When I try to muscle up, it doesn’t usually work out,” said one of the team’s elder statesmen. Situational hitting and confidence, on the other hand, once again proved his sweet spot.

“I never met a pitch I didn’t like,” he joked, and his poke up the middle initiated an 18-11 comeback C-League victory.

Of course, the Bardi Osterio bats awakened first. They loaded the bases on singles by Jack Maher and Nolan Fierro and a walk by Brandon LaSpina. Nick Maestri then singled up the middle for the first run, and after a ground ball to third by Bryce Shar resulted in a tag play at the plate, Bobby Zattola singled in runs number two and three.

Onto the second, Swee didn’t wait to get started. Chris Townsend, Ben Berliner and Vinny Costanzo all singled, and the loaded bases of different generations didn’t get past Townsend. “We got youth, vitality and a little bit of wisdom,” said the third baseman.

Herzegovitch satisfied the latter with his RBI single and so did Gordo Mackie with his. Now 3-2, Kurt Wronsky kept the rally going with another single, and the score was tied on a walk by Danny Haigh.

His father Rich stayed small with a run scoring grounder to second, and with two outs, Mike Moro took what he was given. “The pitch was outside, and I went with it,” said the shortstop.

Over the centerfielder’s head, Swee rode the 6-3 lead to Johnny Kearney’s pitching in the bottom of the second. A strikeout and two groundouts, Moro dealt the praise. “He’s an ace and keeps us in games,” Moro boasted.

The offense then took the cue. Singles by Brian Opfer and Berliner and doubles by Townsend and Anthony Costanzo opened up an 8-3 advantage.

Next, Vinny Costanzo made the first out of the inning so Herzegovitch started things up again. He singled up the middle to move runners to second and third, and Mackie played smart ball with a ground out to second.

A six run lead now, Wronsky kept the ball in play too. Grounding to short, the ball was booted, and Swee took an 11-3 lead.

The home team refused to go away, though. Fierro and LaSpina singled, and Maestri moved them over with a sacrifice fly to center. An infield fly was no help so a two out rally was needed. Keven Kenney doubled in the runners, and singles by Kevin Brown and Joe Forturado cut the lead to 11-7.

No answer for Swee in the top of the fourth, Bardi Osterio inched closer in the bottom. After LaSpina and Maestri singled with two outs, Shar made it a three run game with a single to left.

Not for long, the Swee bats made sure. Townsend reached on an error, Berliner and Vinny Costanzo singled to load the bases, and with one out, Mackie’s bloop single to left got back the run. The smart softball continuing, Wronsky went to the right side, and the force at second made it 13-8.

The Swee defense took their turn next. After a lead off walk, a grounder to Townsend turned into a 5-4-3 double play.

But Bardi Osterio still mounted a two out rally. An infield hit and a bloop single by Tony Maestri created a little discomfort at 11-8

So did a double by Maher. Not to worry, Kearney got Fierro to pop to short, and the stage was set to blow the game open.

Morro had the first big blast with a run scoring triple, and a couple errors set up Townsend. A triple to right, the lefty chooses modesty for the defining moment. “They were playing in and giving an old guy a break,” he joked.

Five runs coming in on the inning, Swee cruised the rest of the way, and the victory had Moro loving the ride of this multigenerational team. “We got a bunch of young guys who can hit and run and older guys who know how to play,” he concluded.