Grand Old Time: Sullivan's Grand Slam Leads Calhoun to Game One Semifinal Win

"I'm not known as a home run hitter," Dan Sullivan said. "I had two strikes on me, and he gave me that high inside pitch, and I was able to drive it. I knew it was gone when I hit it."

The home run, which happened to be in grand slam fashion, gave Calhoun a 7-5 lead, and the Colts kept on tacking on en route to a 15-9 win against visiting Carey on Monday evening in game one of the Class AA semifinals.  

It was Carey who came out of the gate with gusto. The visitors took a 1-0 lead off Joe Christopher in the top of the first when Anthony Licata drove an RBI single to send Kyle Demeo home. Carey's big offensive explosion came in the second when they put up a four spot, which was highlighted by back-to-back homers from Harry Smith and Mike Marino.

"It didn't seem like we didn't have the fire," Sullivan said. "Some guys wanted it bad, but others weren't stepping it up."

Calhoun responded with authority in the bottom half of the second, although it was more with their heads then their bats. Carey's John Augiello was struggling with his control, and the Colts were able to load the bases with nobody out without the benefit of a hit.

The Colts scored their first run when Joe Saladino nicely placed a ball on the infield that could not be played.  Sullivan then walked to force in a run, Jake Thomas singled in a pair and Frank Trimarco capped things off with a sacrifice fly. All of a sudden, the game was tied at five apiece.

Zach Goldstein, who scored a run in the five-run third, knew his team was still in the game from the start.

"It's a long game, especially with metal bats," Goldstein said. "With the metal bat, you can make hits and get back in the game."

Carey would retaliate in the top half of the third, when Marino drove in his second and third RBIs with a single, and that signaled the end of the night for Christopher. Mike Simon came in, and he was able to quiet the storm. Simon threw one pitch in the third, and he induced a 4-4-3 double play, and he pitched nicely the rest of the way, allowing just two earned runs in his effort.

"Carey's a fast team," Simon said. "I just knew that I needed to limit the walks and keep the ball moving around the strike zone. My job is definitely made easier when the guys keep hitting."

The turning point of the game came in the bottom of the third inning. The Colts loaded the bases with one out, and Sullivan cleared them with a grand slam, and that gave Calhoun a 9-7 lead.  Trimarco added a two-run single, and Goldstein added an RBI double to increase the lead to 12-7.

"Just because I hit down in the order, people think I can't hit," Goldstein said. "Pitchers throw me lots of fastballs, and I take advantage."

Simon cruised in the next two innings, as he faced the minimum in each. While he was doing that, his team provided some insurance, courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Thomas in the fourth and an RBI single by Goldstein in the fifth, and Calhoun was leading by a touchdown. Carey would rally for two in the sixth on a two-run double by Demeo, but it was too little too late.

Thomas capped the game's scoring in the bottom half of the sixth with an RBI single, and he provided an impressive 3-for-4 line with four RBIs, two stolen bases and a run in the game.

"Runners were getting in front of me all day, so it made life pretty easy," Thomas said. "I just had to put the ball in play a couple of times and I was able to stay relaxed and drive the ball."

Simon earned the win in relief, and Ron Licciardi was saddled with the loss in relief for Carey.

The Carey players were unavailable for comment.

Calhoun will look to close the series out when they travel to Carey today and send John Mekelburg to the hill at 4:30 p.m.