Bengals Eliminated From Sectional Baseball Tournament

Bloomfield baseball coach Mike Policastro had every reason to be confident heading into Friday’s state sectional quarterfinal game against Ridgewood.

“I thought we were playing our best baseball, especially this past week,” said the coach.

After rain forced the team indoors two weeks ago, the Bengals rebounded with two wins last weekend against Indian Hills and Morris Knolls and followed up with a win in the first round of state sectionals against conference rival West Orange.

Friday, however, wasn’t the Bengals day. Fielding errors would cost Bloomfield the chance to advance in the sectional tournament, with the team falling to the Maroons, 14-6 at Veteran’s Memorial Field in Ridgewood.

Bloomfield got off to a hot start in the top of the first inning thanks in part to a two-run homer from senior left fielder Cavan Penberthy. Ridgewood would take the lead in the bottom of the same inning.

Bloomfield bounced back with singles from Anthony Giaimo and Penberthy, along with a balk from Maroon pitcher Tucker Rekucki, which gave the Bengals a 5-4 lead going into the bottom of the second.

Starting pitcher Zeb Smith held off Ridgewood for a half-inning, giving Bloomfield a little room to work with.

After that, the Bengals’ defense struggled. Seven errors led to 12 unearned runs and an early exit from the tournament. For Policastro, the errors were the difference maker. “You don’t make seven errors, they don’t score 12 of those 14 runs and its probably 5-2 or 6-2 going into the bottom of the sixth and [Smith] isn’t out of the game in the third inning,” he said.

Junior Andrew Coco took the mound in relief of Smith in the third and allowed five unearned runs off five hits during 3.2 innings of work.

The Bengals finish the season 16-12 after getting off to a slow start. Though they got four great pitching efforts to start off the season, Policastro felt the team struggled withiout starting shortstop Guglielmino, who was injured earlier in the season. “After he came back, we turned it around and went 13-7,” the coach said.

The majority of this year’s team will be returning next year. Only 6 of 18 players are graduating, including Penberthy and pitcher Matt Schroeder. Policastro isn’t worried about an adjustment period next season, as many of the 12 returning players have had around 20 at-bats this year.

“It’s not like they’re raw and haven’t seen a varsity pitch,” he said. “You’re filling in with guys that have already been playing, so we’re not losing that much.”

Still, the Bengals coach noted that there will be plenty for his team to work on over the summer.

“That’s one point I made after the game. Our pitchers will have a lot of running and lifting to build up their strength. The infielders will have a lot to do this summer and during Legion,” said Policastro.