NORTH TONAWANDA —
North Tonawanda director of athletics Cynthia Bullis wasn’t about to let another home game fall victim to the recent weather woes.
Bullis spent countless hours working tirelessly to prepare Rojek Field for game time Friday afternoon.
But while the JV ended up taking the varsity diamond at Rojek, the varsity squad made sure Bullis’ efforts didn’t go for naught.
The Lumberjacks (2-0, 2-0 NFL) finally opened their home slate, leaning on a home run and five RBIs from senior centerfielder Joe Montesanti in a 8-1 win over Kenmore West (0-3, 0-3 NFL) in Niagara Frontier League play just down the road at Ramsay Field.
“She’s extremely supportive of all sports. Today seeing her get her hands dirty and doing some stuff was pretty impressive,” NT coach Tony Ruffolo said. “It’s something I haven’t seen before. She goes above and beyond, that’s for sure.”
Following a 15-5 season-opening win Tuesday against Lewiston-Porter, the Jacks’ bats continued a formidable start to the 2011 campaign.
“We’re on fire right now,” Ruffolo said. “Our kids are seeing the ball really well.”
Ken West starter Dan Faso started off strong despite cold and windy conditions.
Faso sent down the first six opposing batters, including three on strikes.
The Jacks finally solved Faso in the third, getting a lead-off single from senior Dan Montesanti. Derek Wawsilewski squeaked a single up the middle on the next at bat, and Rob Wikierski got on base on a fielder’s choice.
After striking out in the first inning, Joe Montesanti went yard on the very next pitch, plating three on a home run to right center to put NT up 3-0.
“The momentum just took off from there,” Ruffolo said. “Once one guy goes, it’s contagious — hits are contagious. And it’s good to see that.”
The bottom of the Jacks’ order kept it going in the fourth with a lead-off double by designated hitter Neal Ferguson. Dan Montesanti followed suit with a double of his own to bring around Ferguson. Wawsilewski made it 6-0 with an RBI single.
Wikierski got on base with a single, and Joe Montesanti would clear the bases with a pair of RBIs on a double.
Josh Kern added a solo home run in the fifth, wiring a laser over the left-field fence.
“We’re hitting really well right now,” said Joe Montesanti, who picked up the win on the mound Tuesday. “Jesse’s (Puscheck) hitting pretty well; Sammy (McCabe) killed the ball Tuesday; Kern’s hitting the ball; Danny’s (Montesanti) hitting the ball. Everybody in the lineup is hitting the ball well. When everybody’s going 2 for 3, 2 for 4, that’s how you’re going to win games.”
Meanwhile junior righthander Bob O’Connor tossed a complete-game, four hitter, allowing his only run with two outs in the sixth.
“He was very focused. He kept his composure,” Ruffolo said of O’Connor, who made his first-career varsity start. “He did a really good job keeping the ball down. Every time they got a hit, he’d come back and through a strike at the knees and get ground balls.”
Despite only four hits, the Blue Devils put plenty of balls in play. Between the fourth and the fifth innings, Ken West flied out deep in five of six at bats.
“I asked the kids to be aggressive at the plate. They were aggressive at the plate,” Ken West coach John Haynes said.
The Blue Devils struck out just once Friday.
Faso, Adam Moore and Tyler Novo all had singles, while Tyler Lloyd had the team’s lone double.
“Today it didn’t fall for us,” Haynes said. “It’s going to happen. We have to keep on plugging away and get back to the basics.”
Contact sports editor Brandon Koch at 693-1000, ext. 117.
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Related Photos
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04/15/11NT_KW_Baseball193 - TONAWANDA NEWSPHOTO BY PATRICK MCPARTLAND/CONTRIBUTORNorth Tonawanda, NY - Josh Kern is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a one run home run in the bottom of the fifth as the Lumberjacks host the Blue Devils in boys varsity baseball on April 15, 2011.20110415
April 15, 2011
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