Corinti channels past loss, deals against Berkeley

Tampa Catholic junior Roman Corinti said he remembered a tough outing against Berkeley Prep two seasons ago, and was determined to get some payback against the Bucs in his Thursday night start.

By Mike Camunas, Creative Director

WEST TAMPA – Roman Corinti didn’t forget.

After nearly two years, the memory is still fresh — the bad taste in his mouth is still there.

Corinti remembers when Berkeley Prep shelled him as a freshman reliever, so he used that memory as motivation.

For a little extra drive.

Click here for our extended photo gallery from this game.

All of which led the junior hurler to throw 6 2/3 innings of a one-hit gem that gave streaking Tampa Catholic a hard-fought 3-1 win over Class 3A-District 5 counterpart Berkeley Prep on Thursday evening at Peter J. Mulry Field.

“I just had a real bad taste in my mouth still because of the situation I was in last time, and got knocked around by them,” Corinti said. “I just wanted to come out and get ahead of them and felt I did — and felt really good against them.”

When Corinti last faced the Buccaneers, it was April 16, 2021 and the Crusaders took a 12-0 drubbing. In that game, as just a freshman, Corinti pitched just 1 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on two hits and four walks.

“Definitely didn’t forget that outing,” Corinti said.

But it was much different in his second time facing Berkeley Prep (10-8), this time getting the nod as starter.

Corinti would strike out seven and walk just two – allowing just a hit while throwing 99 pitches.

“The fastball felt really good and I was painting the corners,” Corinti said, “which helped me get those punch outs at the right time.”

Tampa Catholic coach Paul Russo Jr. said Corinti is a fail-safe pitcher on his roster, but also grew into the starter role.

“When the year started,” the former Crusaders player-turned skipper said, “he was a dual-threat in that he may have a starter role, or may be long relief, but when we got to (the) Saladino (Tournament), we needed a fourth starter, and he stepped into that role (and only allowed three hits vs. Plant).

“He’s my safety net — whether he’s in the pen or if he starts, then I know he has the stuff to go deep.”
Corinti wore his passion proudly on his jersey sleeve, if not also shown on the mound. It didn’t get unnoticed by his teammates.

“He was hitting his spots a lot with real good movement and painting the corners, too,” his battery-mate Ethan Frame said. “So, from the catching stand point, he was throwing a great game.”

Added outfielder Jose Carrero, “And out from right field, he was hitting his spots, you could see that, and he just went out and pitched a real gem tonight.”

Tampa Catholic (14-4) jumped out quick thanks to Maddox King scoring on a passed ball after leading off the bottom of the first inning with a double.

Tampa Catholic’s Danny Lazaro congratulates Maddox King after the fellow-senior doubled and scored for the Crusaders in the first inning.

Yet, the Bucs would tie it in the fourth when Julius Pfau would reach on error, which would allow Agustin Barrido to score, but James Hankerson would get tagged out trying to score, as well.

The Crusaders would come right back in the bottom of the fourth, as Frame would lead off with a double. After a sac bunt by Brian Canasi moved courtesy runner Anthony Petrillo to third, and junior Alex Sotiropoulous would single home the game-winning run.

Tampa Catholic would add an insurance run in the sixth thanks to an RBI double by Jose Carrero to score Petrillo again, who, once again, was running for Frame.

Tampa Catholic senior Anthony Petrillo scores for the second time in the Crusaders 3-1 win.

Lucas Cinnante would get the one-out save, but not before loading the bases with two outs.

Crusaders catcher Ethan Frame hugs reliever Lucas Cinnante after the sophomore hurler wiggles out of a bases-loaded jam to end the game.

All the runs would come off Rivers Kurland, the Bucs’ top starter, who had allowed just 15 runs this season. The sophomore southpaw would pitch a complete game, allow six hits and strike out six.

Berkeley Prep sophomore Rivers Kurland took the loss, despite pitching a complete game, and striking out six. 

“It doesn’t matter how many wins or losses anyone has in this (rivalry),” Russo said. “It’s going to be a tight game, so I preach to these guys that (Berkeley) is going to be well-coached, going to make plays and you have to get ahead of them and not let up.

“And getting a win against a guy like Kurland, that’s definitely something we’ll take every time.”

Berkeley coach Richie Warren said his team just couldn’t get anything going against a pitcher throwing so well, even if the Bucs were just as amped as Corinti to face a district opponent and rival.

“We’re not going to be successful against a guy who can locate three pitches with the kind of approach we had at the plate tonight,” Warren said. “We’ve had some success against them, but if we don’t come out with enough passion and desire to win a baseball game then I just better retire. I don’t know if (there was extra motivation to beat them), but they made the plays, they made the pitches … and if we make the defensive plays, we string the hits together, then the score is flipped and we’re walking away with a 3-1 win.”

And as passionately as Corinti wanted, and went out and got, the win with a payback performance, he still didn’t forget something else.

That with the win, the Crusaders are now winners of nine straight.

“That was our ninth win in a row,” Corinti said confidently, “and I think you just put the whole Berkeley Prep thing aside and say, ‘That was nine wins in a row.’ And it’s a win, no matter who it is — we just want to win, win, win.”

#5 Tampa Catholic 3, Berkeley Prep 1

B 000|100|0 – |1|2|2
T 100|101|x – |3|6|3
W – Corinti (4-1); L – Kurland (4-3); S – Cinnante (1)
2B – King, Frame (T). Records – B (10-8); T (14-4).

Categories

Archives