Karl's Home Run Ends Game, Mustangs Beat Tenafly in Semifinals

The Montville Mustangs baseball team defeated Tenafly in the semifinal round of the North 1 Group III state sectional playoffs after a three-run home run from Ryan Karl in the bottom of the sixth, bringing Montville up 11-1 and ending the game by ten run rule on Tuesday evening. The only run scored by Tenafly came in the sixth. 

"I haven't been stinging the ball like I usually do," Karl said. "It was a big one...saved some pitching."

Anthony Altieri pitched five shutout innings to help lead his team to the win, but in the second, he walked two straight batters with no outs to start the inning.

"I just try not to let things get to me," said Altieri. "I let the defense do the work because I know they can."

And in the second they did, with Karl turning a double play and then with a close play at the plate on a relayed ball thrown from John Marchionda home to end the inning.

The Mustangs scored consistently throughout the game, with an RBI single from Marchionda to get them started in the first. He ended the game with three RBIs. Karl ended with four, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, a single, and three runs scored.

Montville coach Joe Cardinale said that although the team can't expect to score like they did on Tuesday every game, he and the team knew at the beginning of the season that they'd make it at least this far.

"We try just to keep the approach the same," Cardinale said. "Let the runs fall where they may...we can't expect to score 10 runs, especially in the section final."

But he still expects the team to play well.

"Talent's one thing, but when you have heart and desire...to be here is not a surprise," he said.

The Mustangs will face the winner of Ramapo and Paramus on Friday at 4 p.m. for the North 1 Group III sectional final.