Post 201 Loses Close One To West Essex

In a pivotal game for first place in the American Division, the West Essex Senior American Legion baseball team held off Livingston 3-2 Monday at home.

The victory gave the Knights (9-2) a one-game lead in the loss column over Post 201, which dropped to 10-3.

The top two teams from the American and National divisions will play for the Essex County title with the top-three teams overall earning a berth into the state district tournament.

"This win is big because it gives us a shot at first place," said West Essex right fielder Jimmy Kenny, who was 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. "We want to win the county and get back to the districts like we did last year." 

Kenny is one of several who were members of the West Essex High School baseball team that captured the Group 2 championship this spring and are ready to add another title to their resumes.

"We're still hungry," Kenny said. "The 2010 season is over and we got a lot of new guys here. We just want to let them to know that winning a championship is not easy."

While Kenny provided the offense, Chris Carragher delivered a complete game on the mound, scattering six hits and striking out five, including Livingston right fielder John Beaubien twice.

"Yes, I wanted to go all the way," Carragher said. "I'm not one of those pitchers that will blow by people. I put the ball in play and I trust my defense to get the outs, and fortunately for me, they do that every game."

Livingston Post 201 pitcher Sam White pitched well enough to win, but was hurt by a couple of fielding miscues, particularly on a Kenny double in the third inning, that allowed Ralph Velardi to score from first base for a 3-0 lead.

 The Knights quickly took the lead in the bottom of the first inning when center fielder Ed George, who went 2-for-2, recorded a base hit and Carragher followed with a double to place runners on second and third.

After Velardi drove in George with an RBI groundout to short, first baseman Vin Cosenzo followed with a single to right to score Carragher for a 2-0 lead.

After Carragher retired the side in order in the top of the third inning, Kenny's double, combined with Livingston's outfield miscue, scored Velardi for a 3-0 advantage.

"I think the key inning was the third inning because we got another run," Carragher said. "I wanted to get out of there quick [in the top of the third inning] and shut their bats down and get another chance to score."

Livingston managed to compile three base hits against Carragher in the fourth inning, but West Essex's defense prevented a run from crossing the plate. 

With runners on first and second, Livingston second baseman Connor Kimmel lined a Carragher pitch to right-center field. Frank Schwindel, who went 3-for 4, headed home from second base. But George threw to first where Cosenzo relayed to catcher Ryan Rinsky to nail Schwindel at the plate.

"That was a heck of a relay by Ed George and Vin Cosenzo," Carragher said. "I wasn't sure if they were going to get him. I turned around and I looked and the kid was halfway up the line, I knew that we had him. Ryan did a good job hanging with it and make sure that ball did not pop out." 

But Livingston ended Carragher's shutout bid in the sixth inning when Schwindel and Beaubien scored on West Essex errors to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Carragher escaped further damage by getting Livingston catcher Brian Writt to fly out to George to end the inning.

After Livingston left-handed reliever Brady McLaughlin came in and thwarted West Essex's threat of runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Carragher preserved the one-run win by getting Schwindel to fly out to end the game after James Napolitano reached base with a two-out base hit.

"You can't let teams of their caliber get up early on you," Livingston coach Chris Politan said. "You put zeros up for five innings, and you are expected to all of a sudden turn it on. When you come to the park if you are not ready to play, you are not going to win and that's what I told them."