Fordham Prep’s Steve Fondu (r.) upset by the loss. (Denis Gostev)
To Joe Finnegan, it was a hit, the game was tied and he had to focus on the next batter.
“I already put it through [into the outfield],” the Iona Prep pitcher said. “I blacked out after that.”
Fordham Prep pinch-hitter Paul Pache sent a sharp grounder deep into the hole between short and third for what seemed to be a sure single. Iona shortstop Vinny DeMaria ranged to his right, backhanded it and made a Jeter-esque throw. Pat Decea stretched at first and a sliding Pache was called out to end the game with Kevin Lynch stranded on third.
Sixth-seeded Iona Prep held on for a thrilling, 1-0 win over archrival and No. 4 Fordham Prep in a CHSAA Class AA baseball championship round winner’s bracket game Sunday night at St. John’s University. The victory puts the Gaels (17-6) in the finals Friday back at Jack Kaiser Stadium and ignited a wild celebration at shortstop.
“My biggest fear since I was a little kid was to be on the bottom of the pile,” DeMaria said. “Now I’d give anything to have that feeling again.”
Iona Prep is trying to win its first intersectional title since 2003 in legendary coach Fred Gallo’s final season. It’ll await the winner of an elimination game Tuesday between Fordham Prep and No. 5 St. Joseph by the Sea.
“Vinny showed up at the end with a big-league play,” Gallo said. “Can’t be any better.”
Meanwhile, Finnegan pitched the game of his life, a five-hit shutout against his team’s most hated adversary with a championship berth on the line. Now, Iona will have to be beaten twice to lose the title in the double-elimination format.
And to think Gallo was going to remove Finnegan after the third inning. He hasn’t been one of the Gaels’ top pitchers this spring, but his classmates wouldn’t let Gallo take him out.
“The seniors attacked me,” Gallo said.
Added Finnegan: “No shot he was taking me out.”
Gallo told Finnegan “prove me wrong” and he set about doing it against one of the best lineups in the league. He didn’t strike out a batter, but used his stellar defense to near perfection. Finnegan also walked just one.
“I wanted to be wrong,” Gallo said. “I’m usually right – that’s what I was afraid of. I told him, keep getting outs and you’re staying out there.”
It almost all fell apart in the seventh. Finnegan got the first two outs quickly. Then Robbie Lynch smoked a line drive to center. Dan Fischer came in too far and the ball sailed over his head all the way to the wall. Lynch ended up at third and Finnegan promptly hit Kevin Flynn with a pitch.
Fordham Prep coach Pat Deane then pinch hit Pache for Mick Regan. Pache hit it hard, but evidently too close to the Iona College-bound DeMaria.
“Once I caught it, I said, ‘I’m throwing it,’” DeMaria said. “Whether I get him or not, it was worth a try.”
Deane adamantly argued the razor-close call at first place. Ironically, Iona got its lone run in the third inning when Fischer was called safe at first on a disputed call that scored Matthew Henry.
Fordham Prep (15-8) meets St. Joseph by the Sea in an elimination game 6 p.m. Tuesday at St. John’s for the right to face Iona in the finals. Fordham’s A.J. Pinto was almost as good as Finnegan, giving up just three hits and that one unearned run.
It was just 10 days ago that Fordham beat Iona, 9-1, in a first-place division tiebreaker game. Gallo called it the worst performance by his team in his 28 years at the helm.
Now here the Gaels are, going to the finals after winning five straight games, including a stunner over the rival Rams.
“I’m a firm believer,” DeMaria said, “that everything happens for a reason.”