South Orange Scores Big in Caldwell

Columbia High School's baseball team graduated quite a few players last month. But it looks like a good group of  promising players are ready to take their spots. The South Orange Junior American Legion team rolled to a 9-3 victory over Caldwell in Caldwell Tuesday night, ending its regular season with a 13-7 record. South Orange now prepares for an Essex County Tournament playoff game Saturday.

Righty Sean Tamayo, who'll be a sophomore in the fall, pitched seven strong innings. Tamayo struck out three, walked three and allowed four hits. Tamayo, who was really the only pitcher available to coach Chris Henry, said he relied on fastballs and changeups to keep the Chiefs off balance.
"I really haven't pitched a lot; I just came in and did my job,'' said Tamayo. "I haven't really thrown my curveball in awhile, but (the pitches) it was working,''

""He bounced back out of jams today,'' Henry said.

Good defense was also part of South Orange's win. Left fielder Chris Auriemma robbed Mike Kmon of a possible extra-base hit with a fine catch that ended the second inning. First baseman Nick Rego made a great pursuit, then catch in foul territory of a pop hit by Mark Mathiess to end the fifth.

"Rego's a ballplayer,'' said Henry. ""He's actually our starting catcher. He pitched for us last night. He can play third base too. Nothing gets by Rego; you want him on the field every time you're out there.''

South Orange got two, two-run hits by Mark Donatelli and Jim Murphy in the fifth inning when it broke a 2-2 tie to take a 6-2 lead. Donatelli and Murphy hit seventh and ninth in the order.

"They have been struggling,'' said Henry. "Jimmy Murphy is a big standout and amazing pitcher for Columbia. He hasn't hit the ball that well, but got two big hits for us. Mark Donatelli was really struggling, but he has been hitting the last two games. The top of the order has been hitting, now we need the bottom to hit.''

Third baseman Dan Heffley drove in center fielder Brandon Spears with an RBI single in the sixth and Jake Pomper added a RBI single later in the inning to give South Orange a 8-2 lead.  Spears mad several putouts in the outfield and also went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and two runs scored. Heffley also scored twice. Rego had two hits, was hit by a pitch and drove in the Cougars' last run in the seventh.