Newsome senior Zach DeVito tossed six scoreless innings to earn the win on the mound. DeVito, a Tulane commit, struck out seven in the game.
By Jarrett Guthrie
VALRICO – Newsome’s Zach DeVito wasn’t untouchable on Tuesday night against literal down-the-road rival Riverview, but in the biggest moments, with the pressure on, the Wolves righty bit down on his mouthpiece and delivered. For six innings, including three frames with runners in scoring position, DeVito found a way to keep Riverview from scoring while Newsome took advantage of a wild pitch and passed ball to plate runs and take a 2-0 victory.
Riverview (2-1) senior Macallister Jorgensen led off the game with a double to left, and was moved over to third on a sac fly, but there he sat as DeVito charged a weakly hit ground ball off the mound and threw over to end the threat.
Riverview senior Macallister Jorgensen celebrates on second base after he started the game with a double to left.
“Macallister plays on the same travel team as me, and our whole team know he is good,” DeVito said. “We know keeping him off base is important, and to keep him from scoring when he gets on is big.”
For Sharks head coach Matt Stallbaumer, the inability of his team to plate that first run was foreshadowing for how things progressed the whole way.
“I think the leadoff double set the tone,” Stallbaumer said. “From there we tried to sac bunt, couldn’t advance the runner, we hit a missile and they make a diving catch, the thing for us all night with runners in scoring position we couldn’t put together a big hit.
“DeVito always found a way to bear down and find a way to get out of big situation.”
Newsome (2-1) saw leadoff hitter Cade Afeld draw a walk followed by a Lucas Phelps single that moved Afeld around to third, and the deciding run crossed on a wild pitch. The wild pitch spoiled a quick outing on the mound for Sharks starter Kipp Kochera, who allowed the one run on two in two innings of work and had a pair of strikeouts.
Wolves senior Cade Afeld charges home scoring the deciding run in the first inning.
DeVito helped out his cause in the fourth starting the home-half with a single, followed by a base hit from Kelsen Johnson (2-for-2, with a sac fly) and speed-up runner Alex Philpott provided cushion to the Wolves lead scoring on a passed ball.
“We can always pitch, but you can’t win without run support,” DeVito said. “So whatever any of us have to do to help the team on offense, that’s what we are all trying to do.”
DeVito connects on a single in the fourth, his second hit of the game. Replaced by speed-up runner Alex Philpott, the Wolves would add a second run in the frame.
DeVito worked six innings, scattering five hits and striking out seven – including fanning the side in the sixth and again stranding a pair of runners in scoring position, before handing things over to junior Chase Havener who earned the save.
Newsome applied pressure all night having its leadoff man reach in every inning of the game.
Riverview senior first baseman Drew Jrolf made a nice play on a bunt, then threw to third to get the lead runner. He also had a double in the game.
Riverview left eight runners aboard in the loss, but got some nice defensive plays from Alex Brazer (2-for-3) who started a double-play, first baseman Drew Jrolf (1-for-3, double) who made a nice play on a bunt to get a lead runner at third, and third baseman Jeremy Galen leapt for a line-drive catch in the sixth. Tyler Misla came on in relief in the fourth and struck out 5-of-7 batters he faced.
Riverview starting pitcher Kipp Kochera.
NEWSOME 2, RIVERVIEW 0
R 000|000|0 – |0|6|0
N 100|100|0 – |2|6|1
W – DeVito (1-0); L – Kochera (0-1); S – Havener (1)
2B – Jorgensen, Jrolf (R). Records – R (2-1); N (2-1).
