Montclair Junior Legion drops EC final

Montclair's Junior Legion team could not come back this time.    

In the deciding third game of the Essex County American Legion Junior championship mini-series, the Junior Mounties just could not keep up with Bloomfield as they fell 8-1 on Monday night in Bloomfield.    

Montclair sent the mini-series to a third game after defeating Bloomfield, 13-7, on Saturday.     

Despite the loss the Junior Mounties still head to the Junior American Legion state district tournament this weekend. Montclair plays at 4 p.m. in Denville. Bloomfield also plays at the Denville district, but will play at 10 a.m.   

Montclair head coach Pat Errico was disappointed at the loss, but liked how the team has competed this season including winning the regular season of the Essex County league.    

"We finished at the top of the standings and couldn't be happier with how the season went," said Errico.

After keeping the Bloomfield batters at bay in the first three innings, they finally got to Mounties pitcher Cole Futterman.    

Bloomfield would score three runs in the top of the fourth inning and five more in the top of the fifth inning.  

In the first three innings it appeared that Monday might be Montclair's day: Futterman shut down Bloomfield and Mounties Ben Guterl got a timely base hit between shortstop and third base to score Jack Biebel from third base for a 1-0 lead. Biebel got on base after smacking a double.    

"I thought he (Futterman) pitched well and he was getting a lot of swings and misses," said Montclair manager Pat Errico.

After that, the Montclair bats could not figure out Bloomfield pitcher Jared Guglielmino, which was surprising after scoring 13 runs in the second game of the mini-series.    

While Bloomfield started to hit Futterman, his defense did not do him any favors. And Errico believes the team pressed at the plate to atone for the errors in the field. "We had some good at bats, but I thought some of the guys brought the errors to the plate," said Errico.    

What epitomized the game came in the top of the fifth inning when a popup fell between the pitcher, catcher and first baseman.    

In the inning there were four errors that helped Bloomfield get six runs in the inning.    

Instead of Montclair being out of the inning Bloomfield was still alive.    

Overall, Bloomfield would score six runs in the top of the fifth inning to give Bloomfield an 8-1 lead.    

While the Junior Mounties came back from a 7-0 deficit in the first game to tie Bloomfield, the Montclair offense could not get in gear.    

The best chance for the Mounties came in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Guglielmino got Keith Harrison to strike out and end the threat.    

Montclair relief pitcher Mike Harley came in the sixth and seventh innings to shutdown the Bloomfield offense. "He (Harley) pitched excellent for us all summer as a starter," said Errico about Harley.