Calvary Outlasts Cardinal Newman, Advances To Finals

Calvary Christian Academy and Cardinal Newman battled for nine innings before the Eagles emerged victorious on Thursday. Facing each other in the regional quarterfinal game held at Calvary’s home field, the two teams showed excellent pitching and fine defensive plays. In the end, it was heroics from Andrew Gottfried that made Calvary victorious, 2-1.

In the bottom of the ninth second base man Brett Lawson was hit by a pitch, and Peter Carciopollo came in to run for Lawson. Josh Lane was next and he placed a nice bunt down the third base line to reach on a single and move Carciopollo into scoring position at second base. The stage was set for Andrew Gottfried. Gottfried sent a line drive past the left fielder to score Carciopollo with the winning run and ignite a well-deserved celebration.

“Gottfried is a competitor,” said Calvary Manager Gregg Mucerino. “For us to go, he has to hit for us. And today he did that.”

In the top of the ninth, Cardinal Newman left fielder Luis Besteiro hit a ground ball to the hole between shortstop and third base. Calvary shortstop Josh Lane made a great stop and an even better throw to nip Besteiro down the line. Keeping Besteiro off first base turned out to be a key play, as Robbie Hoyt came to the plate and belted a shot to deep left field. The ball rolled to the wall and Hoyt ended up on second base with a double. Eagles pitcher Tommy Taborda buckled down and got Chris Cammarata on another beautiful defensive play by Lane and struck out designated hitter Luke Simpson to close out the inning.

Gottfried was a workhorse, as he worked a total of eight innings. Gottfried struck out nine Crusaders batters while walking only two and giving up two hits. Taborda came on in the ninth and surrendered the double by Hoyt.

“This was a team effort from all of the 18 people on the team,” Gottfried expressed. “We like to have fun and we love to play baseball. We play baseball as our expression of love for our Lord.”

The game was a pitching dual from the outset. Cardinal Newman starting pitcher Tyler Krull pitched four shutout innings before being touched for a run in the fifth inning. He worked into the sixth inning, but was relieved by Hoyt with one out and one on. Hoyt was also effective. He held the Eagles scoreless until the deciding run scored in the ninth.

Cardinal Newman went ahead in the fifth inning by scoring without a hit. two infield errors and a walk loaded the bases and a balk by Gottfried allowed a run in. Calvary Christian came right back in the bottom of the fifth. Josh Lane was hit by a pitch, moved to second base on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a double to left field by Gottfried.

Luke Simpson was on base three times for the Cardinal Newman, scoring the only Crusaders run. Lane had two hits for Calvary and scored one run, while Gottfried was 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs.

Cardinal Newman goes home with the tenth one-run loss of their season, but not without letting the Eagles know they were in a battle.

“We have battled all year,” Newman Manager Sam Howell said. “I think we are the best 11-16 team in the state. We have pushed a lot of good teams to the brink, we just haven’t been able to finish.”

Calvary Christian advances with a meeting with American Heritage-Delray on the horizon.

“This a senior group that has a lot of confidence,” Mucerino stated. “They do not fold. They are completing plays under pressure, and that wins ballgames.”

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