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Cortlandt 2
on top
of the hill
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| By Robert J. DiAntonio |
Photo by Robert J. DiAntonio
Cortlandt 2's Ronan Callagy delivers to the plate in the WPBA 16-and-under tournament championship game against Somers 1 on Saturday at Crane Road Field in Mahopac.
Cortlandt 2 captures the WPBA
16-and-under tournament championship
by defeating Somers 1, 9-4
It is rare in baseball for a team todominate the competition from start to finish. Most squads go through at least one or two rough patches along the way.
Cortlandt 2 defied the odds.
They stormed through the regular season and won the league championship, but they didn’t stop there. The squad, composed of players from Hendrick Hudson High School and one athlete from Kennedy Catholic (catcher John Giordano), secured the playoff championship by defeating Somers 1, 9-4, on Saturday at Crane Road Field in Mahopac.
It was the first Westchester Putnam Baseball Association (WPBA) summer championship for the team, although some players have been a part of WPBA championships with other squads. The group has previously won the fall league championship as well.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, Cortlandt looked baffled at the plate against Somers hurler Kevin Watson. But in the fourth inning the bats came alive. Outfielder Dillon Conklin crushed a two RBI triple to tie it up at 2-2. Pitcher/outfielder Zach Tepper followed it up with another triple, bringing home Conklin. Nick Ritornato and Giordano both came through with RBI hits to stretch the advantage to 5-2, followed by Dan Boyle getting on via error to make it 6-2.
Cortlandt 2 Coach John Glashoff explained that the team made an adjustment and remained patient at the plate, just looking to pounce on Watson’s heater.
“We were letting the curveball go and waiting on the fastball,” Glashoff said. “It paid off; the kids hit the ball really hard.”
In the previous inning Somers was threatening and could have broken the game wide open, but with runners on first and third, Cortlandt 2 starter Ronan Callagy picked off D.J. Giuntini. Callagy, who went five innings with 5 Ks, then recorded a strikeout and ground out to get out of the jam.
After allowing the two early runs, Callagy found a rhythm.
“He’s a gamer,” Glashoff said. “Any game seven, you want Ronan out there because he’s a competitor. He settled in nicely.”
Callagy ran into trouble in the sixth inning where he walked four straight and was replaced by Tepper. Tepper struck out three consecutive Somers batters to get out of the inning. He then pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to end the game.
“Zach finished the job,” Glashoff said. “That’s been there all year long.”
Glashoff explained that the team is well-rounded, and their depth in pitching has been one of the main keys to their success.
“We hit the ball, we field the ball well, and we have four or five guys that can throw the ball, too,” the coach said. “A lot of teams during the summer, they have a good two pitchers maybe and it drops off. We have guys like Robert Pell, Chris Nigro – they can all pitch – so we have a lot of depth in pitching.”
Cortlandt 2 first baseman Robert Glashoff added a two RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, along with a Ritornato walk with the bases loaded, to make it 9-2.
Giuntini, Watson, and Matt Maloney each chipped in an RBI for Somers. Watson had four strikeouts in five innings and was relieved by Kevin Mee, who went the rest of the way. Mee had 4 Ks in his two innings pitched.
Other championship games
In the 18-year old division, Somers put on a clinic at the plate, defeating Ossining, 15-3.
Lewisboro fell to Yonkers, 12-6, in the 14-and-under league championship.
In the 13-and-under game, PVC lost to Larchmont/Mamaroneck, 4-3. Cortlandt 1 dropped their 12-year old championship game to Danbury, 5-1.
Mahopac won the 10-year old championship in a 13-7 slugfest with Lagrange.
Lewisboro dominated New Fairfield in the 9-year old game, 11-1.
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