WEST ORANGE, NJ — After going 1-2-1 to start the 2021 baseball season, the Pirates have won eight straight games to improve their record to 9-2-1 on the season.
They started the streak by defeating Nutley 3-2 in nine innings at Porcello Field. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, junior Luke Mahala walked and junior Alex Kim reached on an infield single, putting runners on first and second. Mahala scored to tie the game at 2-2 and Kim reached third on an infield throwing error, before senior Sam Nomura drove in Kim on a single to center field. Junior Nick Pomponio picked up the victory in relief.
They hosted Bloomfield and defeated the Bengals 11-1. Junior right-handed pitcher John Cerwinski picked up his second win of the season, pitching four innings and allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts and one walk. As the top hitters, senior Dominick Carlucci was (2-2) 2 RBI, junior Chris Maldonado was (1-3) 2 RBI including a two-run homer to right field, senior Karson Harcourt was (2-3) 2 RBI, and junior Ryan Sprock was (2-2) 2 RBI.
The next day the Pirates defeated Verona 14-0 on Verona’s home turf. Senior left-handed pitcher Jayden Barroqueiro threw a complete game, allowing two hits with five strikeouts. Sprock led the offense going (2-2) 3 RBI while Maldonado went (2-3) 2 RBI.
The Pirates completed the week by traveling to Succasunna to take on Roxbury and defeated the Gaels 24-9. Sprock was outstanding in relief and at the plate. On the mound he threw 3.3 innings, allowing no runs on two hits with eight strikeouts, including five in a row and one walk. At the plate he was (3-3) 4 RBI. Other top hitters were Andrew Fernandez (3-5) 4 RBI, Maldonado (2-4) 4 RBI, Carlucci (3-4) 3 RBI, Harcourt (4-5) RBI and senior Cole McGonigal (2-4) RBI. Kim drove home two runs on an infield ground out and a sacrifice fly.
Last Monday, the Pirates hosted Belleville and defeated the Bucs 14-0. Senior left-handed pitcher Kieran Hollander picked up his first victory of the season, pitching three innings and allowing just one hit with one strikeout. Junior Patrick Walega threw the final two innings and had one strikeout. Maldonado led the offense going (3-3) 3 RBI, while Nomura, Harcourt and Fernandez each drove in two runs.
On Wednesday, SHP hosted Old Bridge and defeated the Knights 8-1. Fernandez picked up the win in relief. Nomura and McGonigal each batted in two runners in the victory.
The next day the Pirates hosted Livingston and overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Lancers 4-3. Sprock had an RBI infield groundout in the fourth inning to make the score 3-1. Nomura’s single to center field drove on Kim, who had reached on an error to make the score 3-2 in the fifth inning. The Pirates tied the score at 3-3 when McGonigal had a single to center field, driving in Fernandez, who drew a one-out walk. In the seventh, Maldonado drew a one-out walk, stole second base and scored on an infield error to give the Pirates the victory. Nomura threw a scoreless top of the seventh inning to pick up the victory in relief.
On Saturday, the No. 2 seed Pirates defeated the Terriers from Newark Tech in the first round of the 88th Greater Newark Tournament 15-0. Hollander picked up his second victory of the week, throwing four innings and allowing four hits with four strikeouts and one walk. The top players were Maldonado (5-6) 6 RBI including a solo home run and McGonigal (3-3) 5 RBI including a two-run home run; Nomura added a solo home run in the first inning.
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