Stallions rout Newman in Grand Slam opener

Published April 1st, 2008

By Mario Sarmento
SPORTS EDITOR

For two innings, Cardinal Newman starting pitcher Joe Alvarez baffled American Heritage-Delray hitters.

But the second time around the order, the Stallions caught up to Alvarez, scoring nine runs in the third inning to erase a 2-0 first inning deficit. American Heritage-Delray cruised to a 12-2 win in five innings in the opening game of the National Grand Slam tournament Monday at West Boca Raton High, in the process remaining unbeaten and improving to 19-0 on the season.

“We got the first couple of guys on, then picked up momentum and then we started hitting,” said the Stallions Bryan Reno, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs.

There was nothing in the first two innings that would suggest the Stallions would pour it on like they did.

The Crusaders scored two runs in the top of the first off a shaky T.J. Thornton, as Alec Cruikshank drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on an RBI double to left by Mike Groover.

Alvarez helped his own cause with a sacrifice fly, then sailed through a hitless first two innings.

But after Josh Josephson struck out to start the third, Matt Delay drew a walk, Jonathan Delvalle was hit by a pitch and Brandon Nieves singled to right center to score Delay.

Delvalle scored on an Alvarez balk, then a pair of infield hits by Derek Neisman and Mike Russo loaded the bases for Stephen Spradling, who coaxed a walk out of Alvarez to give the Stallions the lead.

 Jeremy Matos then lined a double to left to score two runs, and Reno followed with a two-run double of his own to right field to make it 7-2 Stallions.

Alvarez didn’t make it out of the third, as Ryan Crosby came on to get the final out.

But while Alvarez struggled, Thornton’s game went in the opposite direction.

He allowed just one hit after the first and shut down the Crusaders long enough for Reno to hit his home run and for Niesman’s RBI single to score the winning run in the fifth.

Thornton finished with five strikeouts and two walks, and the Stallions defense turned three double plays behind him.
“I was happy,” Thornton said. “I’ll take nine runs any day.”

The Stallions haven’t talked about the fact they’re 19-0 so far, and with the competition this week, American Heritage coach Carm Mazza said he didn’t expect that feat to last.

“You just can’t expect to go undefeated in a baseball season,” Mazza said.

“We’ve got three games against probably three tough opponents in this tournament. It’s nothing we want to think about, we just want to play good baseball.”

American Heritage hosted the winner of the Key West-Wellington game Tuesday at West Boca Raton. (Results were not available at press time).