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Schools

Colonials Edge West Morris Central in MCT Opener

Two-run pinch hit secures win for Morristown.

Opening round play in the Morris County Tournament kicked off Saturday with sixth-seed Morristown hosting 11th-seed West Morris Central.  In a hard fought game, the Colonials held on to win 5-4.

Runs Hits Errors West Morris (6-8) 4 6 1 Morristown (8-7) 5 8 3

West Morris opening up the scoring with a run scored by Tyler Amandos on an error.  The Colonials would make their own noise in the third inning, scoring three runs on hits by Adam Feldman, Joe Pisciotto and Jake Fallon to take a 3-1 lead. 

Neither team could get any offense going until the sixth inning.  In the top of the inning, Tyler Amandos hit a two run home run over the left field fence at the 310 foot marker. 

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But Morristown dug deep getting singles from Jake Fallon and Rolando Ramirez and were then moved up on a sacrifice bunt.  Zach Ganz was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Morristown coach made a dramatic move putting junior Mark Turi at the plate as a pinch hitter. 

Turi made the best of it with a two RBI single that put the Colonials up 5-3.  "I was lucky to get the call and I needed to do something," said Turi.  "I got a good hit up the middle and it worked out." 

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West Morris would try to come back in the 7th inning getting a run from Pat Anderson on an error.  But it was relief pitcher David Smith who would come in and strike out 2 of the 3 batters he faced to end to the game.

"They brought a pinch hitter up agaisnt my number one, I wouldn't want anyone else out there," said West Morris Coach Dan Wydner. "And what does he do?  He hits it right up the middle.  You've got to tip your hat to them. That's great hitting."

"West Morris, there whole line up is tough," said Morristown coach Joshua Ury.  "West Morris is a very good ball club."

"I think our kids have some fire," said Ury.  "We have twelve seniors on the team so they don't want this to be it.  They don't want anybody to be the last out or last pitch in the tournament.  They've never had a chance to feel what it is like to be a the quarter finals and they get that chance tomorrow."

Morristown will play Randolph tomorrow for the Morris County Tournament quarterfinals. 

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