While the Valley offense did its job, Cerruti would go on to pitch a complete game, allowing just one hit in the final six innings to earn the victory in a 6-3 win over visiting Cedarbrook in a Lower MontCo American Legion game at Bryn Athyn’s Larry E. Spaulding Memorial Field Wednesday night.
With Cerruti gaining his composure and shutting down the Angels (4-2) for the remainder of the game, Valley was able to come back and tie the game in just the second inning and then eventually go up to stay after the third.
“I just changed my mental toughness,” Cerruti said. “I wasn’t really prepared going into the game because of finals and school and studying a lot, but I changed my approach and my pitches were on starting in the second inning.”
Cerruti also helped out his own cause, hitting a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning to get Valley (6-2-2) its first runs.
After shortstop Rafael Fernandez hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Jack Titus and tie things up at 3-3 in the second, Valley came right back in the third with three consecutive hits, including a single by Jordan Pocrass, an RBI triple by Ryan Killian and an RBI single by Matt Lawlor to take a lead it would not relinquish.
“We’ve been playing well, but today, there were a few plays out there that we’ve been making that we weren’t able to make today and it hurt us,” said Cedarbrook coach George Vafiadis, whose team had won four consecutive games before Wednesday.
Cedarbrook’s big start was sparked by a single by Greg Wagner and a home run by John DeAngelis to deep left field, putting the Angels up 2-0. A single by Kevin Graham and an RBI single by pitcher Remi Wachsmuth put the Angels up 3-0 at the time, but Valley came right back a couple innings later.
“It was great to get those runs,” Cerruti said. “They gave me confidence and it really helped me to pitch the rest of the game.”
Despite the poor showing, Vafiadis isn’t worried about his team, which has been dealing with the absence of players due to graduations of late.
“We had a bunch of guys out today and graduations have been going on, but I figure after this week, we’ll be more together,” he said. “The attitude is good on this team and the guys are great. Their heads seem to be in it, their communication is there and I know exactly who is going to be here and who isn’t. That’s all you can ask for in a league like this.”
Cedarbrook was led by Wagner, who went 2-for-4 with a run, and DeAngelis, who finished 1-for-3 with a walk, a run and two RBIs.
The Angels will visit Warminster in a doubleheader Sunday afternoon.
“These upcoming games are big,” Vafiadis said. “They aren’t going to determine our season or what we’re going to end up doing this year, but they’re big and it’d be nice to come out with two Ws or at least one out of two. We’re just going to have to come out and battle and try to get a couple wins.”
As for Valley, Cerruti’s day on the mound and at the plate led the way. Lawlor finished 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs and an RBI, while Killian finished 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Designated hitter Brian Buckley went 2-for-3 with one run scored.
Valley will host Roslyn this Sunday in a doubleheader.
“Roslyn is our rival, so those games are big,” Cerruti said. “We have to play them like it’s the championship and we have to come out and win those.”
Box Score
CEDARBROOK (3) AT HUNTINGDON VALLEY (6) CEDARBROOK AB R H BI HUNTINGDON VALLEY AB R H BI Patrick Stillman 4 0 0 0 Rafael Fernandez 4 0 0 1 Gregory Wagner 4 1 2 0 Callan Palmer 4 0 0 0 John Deangelis 3 1 1 2 Jordan Pocrass 2 1 1 0 Kevin Graham 3 1 1 0 Ryan Killion 3 1 1 1 Brett Bernstein 3 0 0 0 Matt Lawlor 2 2 2 1 Azaan Harris 1 0 0 0 Brian Buckley 3 1 2 0 Remi Wachmuth 2 0 1 1 Lewis Palmer 3 0 0 0 R Patrick 3 0 0 0 Jack Titus 3 1 1 0 Joseph Tsung 3 0 0 0 Nick Cerruti 3 0 1 2 TOTALS 26 3 5 3 TOTALS 27 6 8 5 CEDARBROOK 300 000 0 -- 3 HUNTINGDON VALLEY 033 000 x -- 6 LOB--CEDARBROOK 7, HUNTINGDON VALLEY 5. ERR--Gregory Wagner, Remi Wachmuth, Mark Franchetti, Jordan Pocrass. 3B--Ryan Killion. HR--John Deangelis. HBP--John Deangelis. SB--Kevin Graham, Azaan Harris. CEDARBROOK IP H R ER BB SO HR Remi Wachmuth 6.00 8 6 4 2 3 0 HUNTINGDON VALLEY Nick Cerruti 7.00 5 3 3 4 3 1 WP--Remi Wachmuth (3), Nick Cerruti (2). SO--John Deangelis, Patrick Stillman, R Patrick, Nick Cerruti, Jack Titus, Callan Palmer. BB--Remi Wachmuth, Kevin Graham, Azaan Harris (2), Jordan Pocrass, Matt Lawlor.
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