Pacheco shuts down Warwick 15s

By Joe Russo
Posted 7/14/16

The Cranston 15-year-old all-stars won another close game in the Babe Ruth baseball state tournament Tuesday night at North Providence High School, eliminating the Warwick all-stars from competition …

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Pacheco shuts down Warwick 15s

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The Cranston 15-year-old all-stars won another close game in the Babe Ruth baseball state tournament Tuesday night at North Providence High School, eliminating the Warwick all-stars from competition by a score of 2-1 in a decision that could have gone either way.

Cranston has had several one-run games in this tournament and its ace Jamie Pacheco made sure his team lived to see another day by going the distance, giving up just one run on five hits while striking out seven in a pressure-filled game.

Cranston got on the board first in the third inning when Quinn Lanigan doubled over the head of the center fielder. He was later knocked home by Pacheco, giving himself a 1-0 lead. Nick Santurri followed with a base hit as Pacheco tried to score from second, but was thrown out at the plate by Warwick’s Mike Hampson to end the inning.

Warwick tied the game up in the fourth inning with a Hampson single to center. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and stolen base. Blake Roberge’s base hit would knot the game up at one.

Cranston answered back in the fifth inning, however. A two-out single by Lanigan started things off. He stole second base and was doubled in by Cooper Krusz to give Cranston the lead back at 2-1.

Pacheco held off Warwick the rest of the way as he seemed to get stronger as the game went on. He struck out the side in the sixth inning and held his composure in the seventh inning as Warwick tried to mount a late-inning comeback. Jake Langevin reached on a Cranston error to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Roberge grounded back to Pacheco, who wanted to get the lead man at second, but instead got the sure out at first. Pacheco would then strike out Will Martino, who had two of Warwick’s five hits, to end the game.

“We had a few opportunities that we let go by and there were a couple of plays that did not go our way,” said Warwick coach Billy Piccirillo. “I’m very proud of my team and I still think we are one of the top teams in the tournament. I think these kids will go on to have a great career at the high school level. This game could have gone either way and our kids fought right to the end. We had runners on base, but we just could not get them home.”

Cranston coach Rick Lanigan praised his top pitcher. “Jamie Pacheco was the story of this game,” he said. “He got us here by winning the first game and this one, and hopefully he will pitch again on Thursday.”

“We got timely hitting tonight, but overall the hitting is just not there,” Lanigan said. “We seem to lose our composure at the plate in tight games – pressure situations make you swing at high fastballs. You have to be disciplined enough to know what your pitch is, and hopefully we can find that discipline in the next game. It is going to get hotter in the week, but these kids have been playing baseball for years, they know how to deal with the heat. They play well and can hold their weight and are good kids. We are a scrappy team.”

Cranston must defeat North Providence/Smithfield two consecutive times in order to win the championship. It will send Quinn Lanigan to the mound on Wednesday night as Pacheco will be unavailable to pitch. Results were not available at press time. If it wins on Wednesday, Pacheco can hurl tonight for the championship.

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