Pope John catcher Alex DeBellis is like any other star player, in that he recalls his failures and strives to make sure it doesn't happen the next time out. Case in point, Saturday's Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex semifinal against Voorhees.
A year ago, the All-State catcher and University of Connecticut recruit struck out three times against Vikings ace Sean Keselica in a game that Pope John mustered just three hits in and lost, 6-1. This time around, DeBellis registered two huge hits off the outstanding left-hander and the Lions posted a 4-2 victory to reach their first-ever tri-county championship game.
DeBellis wasted no time in jumping on a Division I pitcher that was previously 7-0 -- connecting on the first pitch in each of his first two at-bats for a triple to right and a long home run to right-center. The triple in the opening frame set up Pope John's first run off a single by shortstop Matt Tietz and the homer knotted the game at 2 just as Keselica was in a groove, having retired seven straight and five by strikeout.
"I didn't want to mess around," said DeBellis, who got two fat fastballs to rip on those hits. "I didn't want to get behind in counts. I went up there hoping to get a good pitch, and tried not to do too much, and just take it the other way."
DeBellis also had some pregame help from his father, Nick, a lefty who threw a batting practice session to his son. In his third trip to the plate, Keselica carefully pitched around DeBellis with runners on first and second and two out before issuing a walk to load the bases.
"We worked on outside pitches, because I thought that's what (Keselica) would give me," said Alex DeBellis. "It was a good pitch (on the homer) on the outside corner."
DeBellis also had the best seat in the house to watch an outstanding effort on the mound by his teammate, right-hander Brendan Mayers. The senior, now 7-0, struck out seven and allowed just six hits and a walk in six innings of work.
"I'm always confident we can win with him on the mound," DeBellis said. "He had his fastball going in the mid- to high-80s. He was just on. He's a bulldog."
Mayers is no stranger to pitching well in big games. As a junior, the Rutgers recruit had 10 strikeouts and took a no-hitter into the seventh in a 4-3 win over Delbarton, ranked fourth in New Jersey at the time. This year, he notched 14 K's in a 5-2 win over North Hunterdon in last weekend's county quarterfinals.
The only runs Mayers allowed came on a two-run blast by Keselica that gave the Vikings a 2-1 lead in the third. He gave up four singles from that point on and retired 15 of the last 19 he faced, five via strikeouts.
"He threw one bad pitch today," Pope John coach Vin Bello said. "And I'm sure if you asked Sean, he probably threw two or three bad ones to Alex. It was a battle between great players and I was glad to be a part of it."
What was the key for the Lions this time against one of the top pitchers in the state?
"I think we took a lot more pitches and we knew when he was going to throw fastballs," Bello said. "He couldn't get his really good breaking ball over for strikes and we finally realized that after five innings and took advantage of that. But you can't take away from the performance that Brendan had on the mound."
Mayers tipped his cap to Keselica, who he considers the best pitcher the Lions have faced this season. Pretty high praise when you consider Pope John recently faced Tulane-bound Jordan Gross of Don Bosco Prep.
"(Keselica) was throwing like a college bound Virginia Tech kid," Mayers said. "He has a nice changeup and threw his two-seam fastball perfectly away. No disrespect to Gross, but I think Keselica is better. He kept a lot of our good hitters off-balance."
Mayers and his teammates also recalled last year when Voorhees coach Spark Mattson was quoted by this reporter after his team's county win saying, "Who is Pope John?" The Lions showed who they are now in this one.
"I don't know who said what and I don't really care," Mayers said. "They beat us last year, but they faced me this time. I believe if they really wanted to beat us they would have."
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