New Providence Baseball Team Rolls, 19-0

The New Providence varsity baseball team has been hitting so well recently, players haven’t even had to play full games. 

Monday afternoon was no different, as the Pioneers demolished the St. Patrick Celtics, 19-0, to win their third-straight game; all have come via the five-inning mercy rule.

The Pioneers (7-6) have outscored their opponents 39-2 during their winning streak, which has come after a rough stretch in which they scored only four runs during a three-game skid. 

Starting pitcher didn’t mess around against the 2-10 Celtics, and neither did his offense.

Pastore struck out the first seven hitters he faced, while the Pioneers sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first en route to an eight-run inning.

Pastore, a senior, thoroughly dominated the Celtics lineup, overpowering it with his fastball from the get-go. 

“Doug has great focus on the mound, and that’s something he’s worked on throughout his four years of high school,” New Providence coach Chris Brodeur said. “When he’s in a groove, he works very fast, and feels comfortable.”

Pastore was clearly in a groove, as he only surrendered one hit, a soft single to left in the third. He finished the game with eight strikeouts.

In the bottom of the second, Joe Meyers led off with a walk, and after he reached third, Mike Kennedy drove him in with a single for his third RBI of the game.

David Dinerman also drove in a run with a hit, and Stephen Zimmerman drove in two more before Joe Randazzo stepped up and crushed a no-doubter over the left fielder’s head for a two-run home run to make it 15-0.

Randazzo finished 4-for-4 with four RBIs, Kennedy and Zimmerman had three RBIs apiece, and Michael Marchesano went 3-for-4 with a triple.

The Pioneers eased up on the basepaths as the game wore on, only taking one base at a time on their hits from the third inning on.

Brodeur said it can be difficult for players to break free from the instinct to keep the pressure on at all times, which teams will do out of courtesy during blowouts. He said that even though they were not being physically aggressive, he still wanted his team to keep their heads fully in the ballgame.

“We want to make sure we’re being aggressive mentally all the time,” Brodeur said. “We want to make sure we’re thinking the right way, regardless of who our opponent is.”

In the top of the fifth, the first two batters reached base on errors, but Pastore got a lineout and another double play to end the game.

The Pioneers will travel to Hillside on Tuesday afternoon to take on the Comets at 4 p.m., and they will play the Columbia Cougars in Maplewood on Wednesday at 4 p.m.