Johnston 10’s edge Warwick North for title

Ryan D. Murray
Posted 8/5/15

Johnston edged out Warwick North, 10-8, in the rain to win the 9/10-year-old all-star state tournament at Lee Romano Field in North Providence on Thursday night.

Johnston’s Derek Salvatore was …

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Johnston 10’s edge Warwick North for title

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Johnston edged out Warwick North, 10-8, in the rain to win the 9/10-year-old all-star state tournament at Lee Romano Field in North Providence on Thursday night.

Johnston’s Derek Salvatore was the winning pitcher. He struck out two and walked three while allowing eight runs over 4 2/3 innings.

The pitcher enjoyed his time on the hill.

“It was very good,” Salvatore said.

For Warwick, Thomas D’Andrea took the ball. He lasted only 1 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs on six hits, with seven walks and two strikeouts.

Early on it looked like Warwick might run away with this one.

D’Andrea and Colby Barker started the game with a couple of hits and catcher Jack Hornstein hit a triple to score them and put Warwick up 2-0. Next, Bobby Vale would hit a sacrifice fly to score Hornstein and put Warwick up 3-0.

Then it was Johnston’s turn on offense.

Dante Iafrate drew a walk to lead off and Dante Ricci followed it with a double. Salvatore then hit a double of his own to score Iafrate. Ricci scored right after on a wild pitch to put Johnston within 1 at 3-2. Then, Joe Domenico hit a sacrifice fly to score Salvatore and tie the game at 3. Next, pinch-runner Dylan Martins scored during a pickle between third and home to give Johnston its first lead of the game at 4-3 to end the first.

In the top of the second, Warwick first baseman Dylan Cunetta hit an RBI-single to score Lucas Hemond and tie the game at 4. Next, D’Andrea singled and Bobby Court scored to give Warwick a 5-4 lead. Barker would then knock in Cunetta before Hornstein and Vale would each notch RBI-singles to up Warwick’s lead to 8-4.

In the bottom of the second, Johnston’s Domenico responded with a two-run blast over the centerfield wall to pull Johnston within two runs, 8-6. Next, Cam Salois came through with a double that scored catcher Mike Laflamme. Andrew Picard followed with a double that plated Salois to tie the game at 8.

Vito Vinciguerra would relieve D’Andrea with two outs and a runner at third. He would stop the bleeding when he would force Iafrate to hit a groundball to escape the inning.

In the third, Salvatore and Vinciguerra both held their opponent scoreless. Vinciguerra had a smooth 1-2-3 bottom of the inning, while Warwick had a couple chances in the fourth and fifth.

Salvatore escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth when he managed to get Jeriel Garcia to hit a ball right in front of home plate and Johnston’s Laflamme, who was catching, stepped on home plate and threw out Garcia at first for a double play. Then, Salvatore forced Mark Woods to groundout to escape the inning unscathed.

In the bottom of the fourth, Picard hit a double to score Laflamme and give Johnston a 9-8 lead, which it would never relinquish. Picard would score on a bloop single by Mike Salzillo to put Johnston up, 10-8, and that would be the final.

Vinciguerra would end the day striking out one, while walking two and allowing two runs on two hits in relief. Even though he pitched well for Warwick, he would take the loss on the mound.

Now, not only are the Johnston 10-year-old all-stars the District 1 champs, they are also the R.I. State Champs.

Hornstein played well for Warwick, contributing two hits and three RBIs in the game. D’Andrea added two hits and drew two walks while scoring twice.

For Johnston, Domenico had a huge game with three RBIs.

The game was neck and neck most of the way.  

“Tough one,” Warwick head coach Tom Hornstein said. “It was a championship game and we were trading runs.”

Despite the loss in the championship, Hornstein is still very proud of his players.

“We came in second in the state,” he said. “It’s a big deal. We won districts. The kids are upset today but it’s kind of good to see they wanted to push it to Saturday and try and win it.”

Johnston head coach Bob Giudici was very happy and humble.

“Great win,” Giudici said. “A tough team we beat. That’s an excellent team right across the board. They got guys who can hit, guys who can field, their pitching was excellent. It was just our day today, but it could have been theirs. A hard-fought battle.”

The coach said Salvatore was hitting his spots.

“He pitched great,” Giudici said. “I kept him in until he maxed out of pitches. He’s a straight-ball pitcher... He’s not overpowering, but he throws strikes and he can hit the corners in and out and that’s what did it.”

Johnston celebrated its championship win by dumping a bucket of ice water on the coach.

“It was cold,” Giudici said. “It was all ice.”

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