Max Vasile struck out five batters in the four-hit shutoutThe Verona High School baseball team soundly defeated Becton High School, 7-0, in the opening round of the NJSIAA North 1, Group 1 playoffs.
There wasn’t much that Becton could do but watch after Tom DeNicola hit his tripleSenior Max Vasile went seven innings, pitching a four-hit shutout that saw him striking out five batters with just one walk. Tom DeNicola had his best game this season, going 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, three runs and two RBI. Luke Weiss was also 3-for-3, with two RBI, a run and a long homer that you can watch below. Mike Cifaretto, who has been strong on the mound for Verona in many games this season, and catcher PJ Lombardi both were 2-for-3.Becton’s runner was no match for Mike Coppola’s long reach
From here, the playoffs get interesting. Verona, which went into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed, takes on No. 5 Cedar Grove at home on Doc Goeltz Field on Thursday, May 22. Verona beat Cedar Grove 8-1 on April 24, and 7-2 on May 6, but the Panthers played well in the Greater Essex Tournament before falling to Seton Hall Prep in the finals. And there’s already been one upset in the North 1, Group 1 brackets already: No. 16 Wallington defeated No. 1 Wood-Ridge 2-1 on Monday. Thurday’s game begins at 4 p.m.
Virginia Citrano grew up in Verona. She moved away to write and edit for The Wall Street Journal’s European edition, Institutional Investor, Crain’s New York Business and Forbes.com. Since returning to Verona, she has volunteered for school, civic and religious groups, served nine years on the Verona Environmental Commission and is now part of Sustainable Verona. She co-founded MyVeronaNJ in 2009. You can reach Virginia at [email protected].
