Wildcats Roll Notre Dame 9-2

The Wildcats rolled to a 9-2 victory Monday, defeating the Lancers of Notre Dame as starting pitcher Andrew Guerico was nearly untouchable. The right-hander held the Lancer offense to just two runs in a dominant six-inning performance in which he struck out 12 Lancer batters. 

Notre Dame jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when leadoff hitter Daquan Coleman rapped an 0-2 pitch over the fence in straightaway center field. Guerico shook off the early mistake, surrendering just one walk for the remainder of the inning and notching his first three strikeouts of the evening.

The Bethel bats, including the pitcher himself, came alive to offer early run support in the home half of the first. Shortstop John Sorice led off for the Wildcats with a single, and was sent to third base on a Guerico double. With one out, Notre Dame starting pitcher Christian Hock issued a walk to Bethel centerfielder Matt Gallagher to load the bases. 

Third baseman Alex Amaru stepped to the plate for the Wildcats and laced a single to score Sorice and Guerico, giving Bethel a two-run lead with just one out in the top of the first. Tyler Slavick and Zack Albin added back-to-back singles immediately following Amaru’s hit, gaining an RBI each and extending the Bethel lead to 4-1.

Guerico, perhaps relaxed by Bethel’s offensive outburst, went on to throw a gem, keeping the Lancer bats relatively quiet and picking up at least one strikeout every inning.  He looked his best in the 5th and 6th, when he retired six straight batters, five by way of strikeout. The only additional Notre Dame run came in the 4th, when Ricky Rodriquez led the inning with a double. He would go on to score on a Coleman RBI single.

“I felt great,” Guerico said after the game. “I was throwing strikes and once you throw a first pitch strike, it’s a lot easier to deal with the game.”

Bethel carried a 6-2 lead going into the 6th inning, but the bats were not satisfied.  The Wildcats jumped all over Notre Dame’s Brian Sanca, who appeared in relief.  Guerico and Gallagher each picked up an RBI in the inning. Amaru was caught on the base path between first and second, and although making the final out on the play, he enabled Gallagher to score from third and enter the game’s final inning up 9-2.

Chris Galvin appeared in relief to close the game for the Wildcats and earned the save despite surrendering a leadoff single to Notre Dame’s John Ross. Galvin went on to strike out Coleman and force Sanca to ground into a double play to end the game.

Despite his exceptional performance, Guerico did not feel slighted to be pulled off the mound.

"I’ve recently thrown a lot of pitches so to get a sophomore in to get some innings in is fine,” he said.  “And playing second base is just as fun as pitching.”

Bethel Head Coach Ray Turek said that the team is hitting their stride on the season, and is starting to really learn how to play together.

“We played probably our best game start to finish,” he said after the game.  “We pitched well, we played great defense, we ran the bases well, we swung the bats pretty well today.”

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 6-3 on the season.  They’ll be on the road to face the Trojans of Weston High School Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. Their next home game is against Oxford on Friday at 3:45 p.m.