FRANKLIN LAKES – North Jersey’s first matchup of the season between top-five baseball teams and Don Bosco needed just five innings to demonstrate why it’s ranked No. 1.
The Ironmen, No. 1 in the North Jersey preseason Top 25, defeated No. 4 Ramapo, 13-1, Wednesday in a Big North Conference showdown stopped after five bitterly cold innings due to the 10-run rule.
Senior left-hander Anthony Costello threw four innings and earned the win, allowing four hits, four walks and striking out seven. Victor Reynoso, another senior left-hander, threw a 1-2-3 fifth inning with a pair of strikeouts to end it.
“Anthony Costello threw the ball really well, and we really liked Victor Reynoso coming on in relief and pumping strikes,” Don Bosco coach Mike Rooney said. “And the offense had a nice continuation of the first game of the year.”
Senior designated hitter Mason Daly was 3-for-3, featuring his first varsity home run, walked, scored three runs and had three RBIs for Don Bosco (2-0). Senior second baseman Nick Gilpin was 4-for-4 with one run and three RBIs.
“I get my guys back [to the plate] when I do my job on the mound,” Costello said. “They compete and look what happened – they put up 13 runs in five innings and we get out of here.”
Ramapo (1-1) was not sharp, making miscues in the field. Senior Jayden Amodeo scored their lone run in the fourth after a walk, moving to second on junior Liam Hayward's single, and scoring on a wild pitch and catcher’s throwing error to third.
“We’re better than the effort we put out there today,” Ramapo co-coach Garrison Ward said. “I wish we came to play.”
What it means
Don Bosco is a veteran team that has won each of its first two games in five innings and by a combined score of 26-1. With All-North Jersey senior right-hander Jason Kuhn out for the season with an elbow injury, the Ironmen need stellar efforts from pitchers such as Costello and Reynoso.
"Losing Jason is a significant hurdle for our group to overcome," Rooney said. "A player like Jason is impossible to replace. However, the work ethic, and team-first attitude Jason has modeled for everyone in our program, will allow for other teammates to be prepared to step up and fill the void left by his injury."
By the numbers
Don Bosco totaled 13 hits against three pitchers, including five during a six-run fifth inning. Senior No. 3 hitter Nick Becker joined Daly and Gilpin with multiple hits by going 2-for-3 with a walk, one run and an RBI. Daly’s homer was a 2-run shot to left-center in the fourth to help extend the lead to 7-0.
“We had Costello on the mound, and he was able to get us back up to the plate very quickly,” Daly said. "He was very efficient with his pitches today. We also have to remember the defense. The defense did a very good job today. Keeping it simple, making the plays. And our approach in the batter’s box, we were able to execute that very well today.”
Costello got in and out of trouble multiple times. In the first inning, he escaped bases loaded and one out with a pair of strikeouts. In the second, he again allowed a leadoff single, and, following a sac bunt, he got a strikeout and 6-3 groundout.
“Today, Jersey, is always cold here, and something I’ve had to pitch through for four years since I’ve been here, and how to handle adversity,” Costello said of early-spring temperatures. “I know I have a bunch of ...
