Town of Newburgh junior baseball team wins District 19 crown

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Published: 2:00 AM - 07/14/12

TOWN OF NEWBURGH ? Before the Town of Newburgh's junior baseball team celebrated with the District 19 championship banner Friday night, they proudly passed around the belt.

This wasn't just any belt: According to winning pitcher Steven Merritt, it was one of WWE superstar John Cena's championship belts.

"This guy we know, Matt Hoey, he met John Cena. (Hoey) got the belt signed and everything, it was really used in the WWE," said Merritt, who pitched six innings in a 5-3 win versus Monroe-Woodbury National. "I think he got it last year. We knew he had it, but we didn't know he was coming out with it. To have that belt is special, we are champions, we are number one."

Newburgh moves on to play a Rockland County opponent to be determined in the sectional tournament at 8:15 p.m. Thursday in West Harrison. Nick Geyer, who recorded one out for the save, had a two-run double in the first inning. Thomas Pellegrino's two-out RBI double in the fourth inning scored Anthony Pacifico to make the score 4-2. Pacifico's double in the fifth put Newburgh up 5-3.

Matt McGee had three hits and an RBI for Monroe-Woodbury National, which could have forced a one-game playoff for the title Saturday with a win.

Newburgh earned its fourth straight District 19 junior title by escaping a dangerous fifth inning. With one out, Merritt loaded the bases by consecutively walking Jack Bermingham, Matt McGee and Mike Mullahy. He then forced in a run to make it 4-3 by hitting Jimmy Francese with a pitch.

Anthony Amoroso followed for Monroe-Woodbury National by hitting a high pop-up, which landed less than halfway up the first base line in fair territory. First base umpire John Ward promptly called the infield fly rule, which made Amoroso out. McGee tried to scored from third and was tagged out in a rundown by catcher Will Dencker.

Monroe-Woodbury National manager Rob Francese vehemently argued the infield fly call with Ward and home plate umpire George Brown for a few minutes. Francese declined comment after the game. The play served as Newburgh's third double play of the game.

"Monroe didn't feel it was an infield fly and they felt like there was nobody was attempting to catch the ball," Newburgh manager Bill Pellino said. "But Steven was, he just overran it. What are you going to do? To have those double plays were huge. Or kids have played great defense and that's what kept us in this game."

jrodriguez@th-record.com

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