Downes leads Tigers past St. Joe’s
Posted By Greg Tufaro
Posted By Greg Tufaro
On May 6, 2010 @ 8:53 pm
By GREG TUFARO
STAFF WRITER
SOUTH PLAINFIELD … After many of his teammates leave practice and the sun begins to set behind Frank Jost Field, Brandon Downes remains behind hitting soft toss or taking extra swings from a tee.
The junior center fielder’s dedication at the plate this spring and in the weight room during the offseason has translated into an impressive offensive year.
Downes blasted his single-season school record 10th homer … a grand slam … and plated two more runs with a single while leading second-ranked South Plainfield to a 12-5 victory Thursday over top-ranked St. Joseph in a battle of Home News Tribune Top 10 baseball teams.
The loss was the first for the Falcons (15-4) to a Greater Middlesex Conference opponent and snapped their 11-game winning streak.
South Plainfield (18-1), which has won 16 straight, racked up 14 hits off four pitchers and batted around twice. Downes, Mark Benak and Matt Cesare collected two hits apiece, while teammate Steve Petriello went 3-for-4.
St. Joseph coach Paul Esposito, whose team plays arguably the toughest schedule in the state, lauded the Tigers for their offensive approach with pitches on the outside black.
“”I wish we could use that as a video of what it’s like to look for the ball away, reacting and hitting the ball to the opposite field,” Esposito said. “”Offensively, they are as fundamentally sound as we’ve seen all year.”
Senior left-hander Dylan Papa scattered nine hits over six innings, including a pair of two-out, two-run homers … one each to Eric Peterson (in the third) and Shane Alvarez (in the fourth). Peterson’s came after Phil Gianakos reached safely on a swinging third strike in the dirt, essentially giving the Falcons four outs in the inning.
Victor Diaz plated St. Joseph’s other run with a two-out, RBI double in the first before Papa worked out of a bases-loaded jam.
“”My big worry out there was containing them from the big inning,” Papa said. “”St. Joe’s is one of the best teams in the state right now, and I (prevented the big inning) with the help of everybody behind me. I know I have eight guys behind me that are going to make plays. All I’ve got to do is let them put the ball in play.”
Downes’ homer highlighted a six-run rally in the second as South Plainfield erased a 1-0 deficit. Rob Pasternak and Kyle Hughes each had RBI singles in the inning.
Downes came up with the bases loaded again in the third and responded with a two-out, two-run single for a 9-3 lead. Benak preceded with an RBI single.
When Downes came up with a runner on second in the fifth and the Tigers leading 9-5, he was intentionally walked for a lefty-vs.-lefty matchup. Cleanup batter Cesare greeted reliever Jared Debrizzi with an RBI single. Brandon Dolan then took the mound for a righty-vs.-righty matchup and Petriello greeted him with an RBI single. Carlos Diaz drew a bases-loaded walk on a 3-2 curveball to complete the scoring.
A message inscribed on the South Plainfield dugout wall before the game, reading “”Respect is earned, not given,” summed up the Tigers’ mission.
Esposito said the loss will not impact his squad and many suspect the teams may meet again in the GMC Tournament final.
“”I think we are right there with them,” Esposito said. “”I think we are as good as them offensively. I think we could pitch with them. I think we’ll be fine going into the GMC Tournament. One loss is not going to derail us. We’ll be ready.”
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