The Star Ledger, April 13, 2010 9:17 p.m.
By Josh Rosenfeld
Matt Cesare took the mound yesterday fully aware that the Carteret team he was facing had scored 62 runs over its last three games, but the senior right-hander wasn't concerned.
He had a plan.
``All I had to do was go out there, throw strikes, listen to my catcher and let my defense play behind me," Cesare said.
Cesare, with an inning of relief from Charlie Huber, held Carteret in check when South Plainfield posted a 12-2 victory in five innings yesterday at Carteret.
Sophomore Mark Tomei, batting ninth, belted two two-run homers to help bring the game to an early conclusion.
Carteret was playing its first home game of the season at the friendly confines of Sullivan Field, but that may have worked against it. Carteret had scored a total of 20 runs in the top half of the first inning in its previous three games, giving it a healthy head start and forcing its opposition to play from behind.
Not so this time, as South Plainfield placed its first four batters on base and, aided by two infield errors, all four came around to score for a 4-0 lead.
Rob Pasternak led off with a single and Mark Benak followed with a walk and both subsequently scored on a throwing error. Carlos Ruiz drove in a run on fielder's choice and Kyle Hughes added an RBI single.
``I guess getting the lead in the beginning took the air out of them," Cesare said.
Cesare (3-0) set the tone from the mound with a 14-pitch, 1-2-3 first inning, throwing 10 for strikes and striking out the last two batters. He struck out two more in the second but walked consecutive batters in the third, leading to a two-run single by Carteret's Mike Merz.
``My changeup was on point," Cesare said. ``And the kid behind the plate, Stephen Petriello, was absolutley great at calling everything. Everything was working."
South Plainfield, which was flawless in the field, scored in all five innings. It added two in the third on Tomei's first career homer and two of its four runs in the fifth scored on his second, both on towering drives to right field by the left-handed batter.
``It feels good," Tomei said. ``I just put the bat on the ball. I like batting ninth. I kind of expect the first eight batters to get hits."
Recap & Box Score:
STAFF REPORT • April 13, 2010
SOUTH PLAINFIELD 12, CARTERET 2:
Outfielder Mark Tomei homered twice for the Tigers (6-1).
Winning pitcher Matt Cesare (3-0) helped his cause, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Carteret (2-4) committed four errors in the first inning when it spotted the Tigers a 4-0 lead.
Mike Merz went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Ramblers.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100413/SPORTS0103/4130366/1109
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