By Laura Amato
John Ricotta saw it all play out in slow motion.
The runner turned and it only took half a moment for Ricotta to realize he could throw him out. He did.
The St. Francis Prep senior catcher picked off the runner at third base, notching a game-changing out as the Terriers picked up a much-needed 2-0 victory over Monsignor McClancy April 13.
“I saw the play in front of me and I just made the throw. I didn’t even hesitate,” Ricotta said. “It was the momentum-changer right there. That pick-off really helped us a lot.”
Prep’s defensive presence and pitching prowess kept McClancy’s hard-hitting lineup from getting into a rhythm throughout the game. Quentin Holmes connected on the Crusaders’ lone hit of the league matchup on the very first at-bat of the day, but that was as much as the squad would get.
Sal Ferro led the charge on the mound, pitching 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts. The senior settled into a rhythm, not even bothered when he walked the bases loaded in the top of the second inning.
“I’ve been doing this since I was little and I have a tendency to walk guys,” Ferro said. “So I get the bases loaded, but I just focus and get back on track. I love that kind of pressure.”
Prep’s bats didn’t do too much, but they didn’t have to. The Terriers got one run on the board in the bottom of the third, racking up three singles in the frame and grabbing a bit of momentum. It was more than enough to give Prep a bit of a cushion and the squad’s pitching did the rest.
Ferro allowed just one more base runner in his final three innings – hitting Eric Luebcke with a pitch – and his confidence seemed to go up the longer he worked.
“I was jamming everybody inside,” Ferro said. “They had a hard time with the inside pitch and it was working, so I just kept throwing it.”
Ricotta all but wrapped up the Terriers’ victory in the top of the sixth, picking off Kyle Camacho as he tried to steal third base. McClancy argued the call, but the decision stood and Prep had, effectively, grabbed the game’s momentum completely.
“As long as we play solid defense and pitch well, we’re going to win games,” said Ricotta, who also chipped in a pair of hits to drive in both runs. “We need to play small-ball and play our game, that’s going to be the difference for us.”
Garrett Crowley finished up the game on the mound, tossing 1 2/3 innings in relief with three strikeouts, including the game’s final out.
“Sal came through and then Garrett followed up. They really did a good job,” said Prep coach Brother Robert Kent. “We just had to throw strikes.”
It’s still early in the season, but the victory was a confidence boost for a Prep team trying to find its stride. Now, the Terriers are just hoping to keep the momentum and, most importantly, continue to make the little plays.
“They’ve got to believe in themselves,” Kent said. “That’s the idea. When you go down, just get up and come back.”
