Spartan Baseball Win Streak Snapped Against St. Joseph's

The Paramus High baseball team traveled to Montvale to take on St. Joseph's Regional in a game that ultimately determined which team would lock up the second seed in the Bergen County Tournament behind Don Bosco Prep.

But it was a long trip home for the Spartans as the home team sent sophomore ace Rob Kaminsky to the mound and came away with a 2-0 victory, snapping Paramus' 10 game win streak.

Kaminsky, an Englewood Cliffs native, pitched six innings of four hit ball for the Green Knights (16-2). He walked an unusually high seven batters, but also struck out eight, including three looking.

Paramus (14-3) countered with junior Joe Szorentini (5-1), who went five innings, gave up six hits, walked one and struck out two.

“[Szorentini] didn’t have his best stuff, but he hung in there,” longtime Paramus head coach Joe Cervino said. “He pitched as well as he could.”

St. Joe’s third baseman Nick Wolyniec provided the offense for the Green Knights. The Ridgewood native knocked in shortstop Dane McDermott on a sacrifice fly to left in the third inning, and hit a hanging curveball for a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning. Wolyniec also picked up his sixth save of the season, pitching the final frame, striking out two.

In the fourth inning, the Spartans worked out of trouble to keep St. Joe’s off the scoreboard.

Tyler Fortanascio (2-for-3) hit a single and second baseman Mike Mastroberti hit a double to right. After first baseman Adam Ferlando grounded out to short, Chris Stapelton sent a deep drive to centerfield. Chris Covello made the grab as  Fortanascio tagged up and headed home. But centerfielder Covello made the throw to Nick Henriquez, who tagged out Mastroberti before Fortanascio crossed the plate.

Paramus had its best opportunity to get on the scoreboard the following inning. Right fielder Tyler Garguilo led off the inning with a walk, stole second base and made it to third on a passed ball. Brian Criscione and Henriquez also walked. During Covello's at-bat, Garguilo tried to score on a pitch in the dirt, but was tagged out at home by Green Knights catcher Fortanascio.

Kaminsky settled down and retired the next two batters—Tony Billera and Szorentini—on strikes.

Paramus stranded 10 runners.

 “I’m glad I kept them to two runs, but I feel as though I didn’t pitch to my capability,” Szorentini said. “I feel like I let the team down a little. They expect me to go out there and throw a gem and I let them down today.

“There’s always the next game,” Szorentini said. “We just gotta go out with the desire to win and we’ll be okay.”

The Green Knights wanted no part of Paramus third baseman Henriquez. The senior co-captain, who pitched and also tallied seven RBI against Ramapo on Friday, hit a long single off the left field wall in the first inning. Henriquez was intentionally walked in his next two plate appearances.

“He’s probably the second best player after [Mike] Bassett that I’ve coached,” said Cervino, who plans to retire following the season. “He’s done a great job pitching. He’s a good third baseman. Nick threw 105 pitches and comes right back the next day to play third. He’s a bulldog.”

It is extremely likely that the Spartans will earn the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Bergen County Tournament.

“If we go out there and play up to our capability we can beat any team,” Szorentini said.

Up next for Paramus—before the tourney—are games against Teaneck (Monday), Bergen Catholic (Wednesday) and Pascack Valley (Friday).