It was win or go home — and the boys from Oakwood weren’t ready to do that just yet.
Monsignor Farrell held on for a 3-2 victory over Moore Catholic in the rubber match of a three-game CHSAA opening round playoff series at South Shore Babe Ruth. The Lions rallied for victories on consecutive days after dropping Saturday’s Game 1.
Farrell took Game 2 on Monday to stay alive. The No. 6 Lions improved to 15-6 in league play with Tuesday’s victory and advance to visit No. 3 Iona Prep on Wednesday in the round-of-eight, double-elimination tournament for the Archdiocesan title.
“It shows we have some character. Our seniors didn’t want the season to end. We gutted it out the last couple of days and that was nice to see,” said Farrell skipper Bob Mulligan. “These playoff games are low-scoring affairs, every run is big. “We took advantage with some good at-bats.”
“Moore has a really good team. “I was impressed with them,” he added. “They’re very young and next year they’re going to be a team to be reckoned with.”
Both teams mustered just four hits a side in Tuesday’s all-Island affair, but the Lions played mistake-free ball and surrounded the right arms of Sal DePrima and Tyler Gaetano to the finish line.
DePrima, a junior who learned he’d be getting the start less than an hour before first pitch, tossed five innings of two-run ball (one earned) to pick up the ‘W’. He struck out six, walked three, and scattered four hits before turning it over to Gaetano (2 Ks) for a two-inning save.
“I know it’s a really big spot, I understood that. I wanted to put them away in a big game,” said DePrima, who was on the mound when Moore walked-off on Farrell in a regular season contest two weeks ago.
“I knew I had to attack them more,” he said. “(Pitching with a lead) gave me some security. “My fastball was flying, slider was working too.”
The Lions were unspectacular offensively, but found a way to push runs across. The defense, however, picked up some of the slack left by the bats.
Left fielder Eric Rodriguez fielded a ball in the gap and fired a two-hopper to the plate to cut down a run in the first inning. Center fielder John Harrington made a sliding grab, while third baseman Pete Fopeano was his usual vacuum-like self at the hot corner.
“That was a huge out,” Mulligan said of Rodriguez’s assist. “I credit our defense (for the success). All in all, our defense is pretty solid.”
The Lions pounced first in Game 3, plating a run thanks to keen base-running and some small ball. Fopeano led off the home half of the first with a walk, swiped second, and advanced to third on a throwing error before No. 3 hitter Jake Giavannone delivered a sac fly to send him home.
Farrell added two more tallies in the third inning when he sent eight men to the plate, despite just one hit. The Lions sandwiched three walks and a hit batter around Greg Harrison’s (1-for-3) base-hit in the frame.
The effort was enough to force Mavs ace Kenny Vazquez (3 IP, 3 ER, 3Ks) from the contest. Charlie Porto (2 Ks) finished with four scoreless innings of relief, but the damage had already been done.
Rodriguez (1-for-1, 2BB, HBP) reached base in all four at-bats for Farrell, while Matt Sutera (1-for-4) and Gaetano (1-for-3) also recorded hits in the win.
Moore, meanwhile, had opportunities, but the Mavericks routinely ran themselves out of innings. The Mavericks attempted a “pickle play” with runners on the corners in the second inning, but Farrell played it perfectly and cut down the runner breaking for home.
DePrima had a traditional pickoff in the fourth inning and Lions’ backstop Jake Giovannone nailed an attempted base-stealer in the fifth.
“We definitely fought until the end. We knew what was at stake,” said Moore coach Gerard Tingos. “They just made one more play than we did. “We felt good coming into Game 3. It’s just one of those days where it doesn’t go our way.”
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN?
Moore stranded two runners in the first inning after Porto was gunned down at the plate. He worked a one-out walk before Brian Badalamenti (1-for-3) and Frank DeGirolamo (1-for-2) followed with singles, but the Mavericks were kept off the board.
“We definitely could’ve had more,” Tingos admitted. “We felt like he was safe at the plate in the first inning. It was a tough call. “We had time to recover but we made a few baserunning mistakes today that ultimately ended up hurting us.”
The Mavs, however, managed to tie the game in the second inning after Erik Carreon’s productive groundout scored Anthony D’Esposito (1-for-3), but the failed pickle play ended the frame and any chance to rally further.
Moore added another run in the fourth after Anthony Salmonese (1-for-3) singled home a run, but he was swiftly picked off first to cut that inning short, too.
Moore was gifted a free baserunner in the sixth when DeGirolamo was awarded first after a catcher’s interference ruling, but Giavannone avenged the error and erased him trying to steal second. Gaetano walked the next batter but stranded him as the tying run and set down the side in order in the seventh to signal the win for Farrell.
“You have to bring your ‘A’ game when you play Farrell,” said Tingos in closing. “They should make some noise in the next round. We’re definitely relevant again. I’m proud of our guys. “We have most of our team back next year, too.”
NOTES: Three Staten Island teams remain in the CHSAA’s round-of-eight. No. 1 St. Peter’s comes off of a bye to host No. 8 St. Joseph-by-the-Sea at SIUH Community Park on Wednesday at 6 pm The Vikings swept both games from Fordham Prep in their first round series.
