CJ Pittaro of Hamilton Post 31 went 3 for 3 in their win over North Trenton. File Photo by Michael A Sabo
By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
June 5: You could see it coming.
After a mundane offensive performance during the first two-thirds of the high school season, CJ Pittaro began to pick it up in late May. The remnants of a knee contusion had finally disappeared and the sophomore was heating up.
And the beauty of high school baseball is, when the season ends, there is another one right around the corner disguised as American Legion.
Pittaro did not let a little gap of inactivity the previous two weeks slow him down, as he went 3-for-3 and figured in both runs tonight as Hamilton opened its Mercer County legion season with a 2-1 win over visiting North Hamilton (1-1).
“Toward the end of the year I was definitely starting to feel a little more comfortable,” said Pittaro, whose freshman season for Steinert was off the charts. “It’s baseball, its ups and downs and the key is just to stay even, stay positive. It’s a team sport, it’s a new season, we’re having fun. I think it’s gonna be a good year. I’m just gonna keep working hard every day, go out there again tomorrow and perform.”
Manager Rick Freeman was happy to see that two of the lefty swinger’s hits were line drives to left field.
“When he starts hitting the ball the other way it means good things are going to happen to the pull gap, so that’s what’s next,” Freeman said.
Pittaro was one of two stars for Hamilton, as pitcher Dave Stec outdueled Bryce Fremgen. The Post 31 hurler got the defensive support Fremgen was lacking.
“Really good defense,” Freeman said. “They made us play defense, and we played it.”
Stec allowed eight hits and three walks in six innings but was aided by two double plays and some solid glove work all around – including a beauty by Pittaro to start the game. Conversely, Hamilton’s winning run scored when Ryan “Mini-Dweller” Beczo came home on an error after the MD and Pittaro collected two-out singles in the fifth and advanced on a wild pitch.
Fremgen allowed just five hits, two walks and a hit batsmen in going six innings, but Stec made the pitches when he had to in being anointed Hamilton’s No. 1 hurler.
“Without a doubt,” Freeman said. “He was (MCALL) Pitcher of the Year last year and had a year of college. He pitched very well for Mercer. He should be our number one.”
“We’re excited to have Dave,” Pittaro said. “Dave’s been one of our top guys for a while now. Every time you go out there you know you’re gonna get his best and he’s gonna leave everything out there for us. That’s what he did today and he’s gonna do it for the rest of the year.”
North Hamilton touched Stec for its only run in the first when Fremgen walked and scored on Wyatt Baker’s single. Hamilton tied it in the third when Joey Sacco walked, stole second and scored on Pittaro’s single.
Offensive frustration dogged the Hibos as they left eight on base before Post 31 reliever Joe Swindasz pitched Hamilton’s lone clean inning for the save. After hitting into both their double plays, North Hamilton followed with empty-base singles.
“Yeah,” Freeman said. “It’s funny how that happens sometimes.”
Not surprisingly, in his lengthy post-game speech to his team, Hibos manager Matt Maher wasn’t chuckling about it.
