Heights' Magical Ride Comes to an End

Getting a wild card bid in the state playoffs and the 13th seed while upsetting a couple of higher seeds, you would think that Hasbrouck Heights baseball would be happy with their postseason.

But the Aviators wanted more and a shot at the Group 1 North 1 state sectional title.

Top-seeded Emerson though would not have it and the Cavos top pitchers Dave Palladino and Mickey Stec combined to keep the reenergized Aviators offense at bay as Heights fell 9-0 on Tuesday in the Group 1 North 1 state semi-finals.

"It was one of those days," said Hasbrouck Heights head coach Rocco Minnichiello. 

Palladino kept mainly the Heights batters off balance with his curve ball and not the fast ball.

"I was expecting to see more fast balls," said Minnichiello who added that his team put metal on the ball and struck out only three times. "The kid (Palladino) was good and was hitting his spots."

The Aviators finished with a 13-12 record along with a 9-7 mark in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference. They also won four out of their last five games with the lone loss coming to Emerson.

The 13th seed was not that unlucky for Heights as they stunned fourth seeded Midland Park (18-3) and fifth-seeded Park Ridge (5-4) in the first two rounds.

"Getting in under .500 with the 13th seed and going on a nice run at the end of the season, it was quite enjoyable," said Minnichiello.

After Heights junior pitcher Mike Pasqualone kept the Cavos off the board in the first inning, his magic on the mound that included winning both the state playoff games, Midland Park and Park Ridge, fell apart in the second inning.

Emerson would start getting hit after hit and culminating with the pitcher Paladino who helped his own cause with a two-run home run.

"I think he might have started to get tired," said Minnichiello who added about running out Pasqualone against Emerson. "He's been our most dominant pitcher recently. We thought it was the right move. We would have not done it any other way."

The Aviators best chance of scoring came in the top of the fifth inning. Heights had bases loaded against Stec with the Aviators top hitter recently, Danny Wynne, at the plate.

Wynne smacked a pitch, but it was right into the mitt of the Emerson third baseman that touched third to get the inning-ended double play.

Aviators senior catcher Alberto Mlenak was the only Heights player to get more than one hit with a pair of hits as he ended a very good senior year by hitting over .400 for the season.

"Offensively, he helped a lot all year long," said Minnichiello about Mlenak. "He was very dependable behind the plate and caught every game."

Mlenak will be one of the big holes from graduation to fill along with senior pitcher/third baseman Steve Sears.

But mostly Minnichiello has most of his team back including three pitchers Pasqualone, Joe Crabbe and Ray Espinoza.

Pasqualone along with Mlenak were named to the first team All NJIC while Sears as a pitcher and freshman Michael Matteis garnered second team All NJIC.

Despite missing most of the season because of an injury, senior Wynne garnered honorable mention conference honors.