Taconic's Carusotto Leads Hit Parade Against Hoosac

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Like any high school baseball team, Taconic High School has had its ups and downs this spring.

 

And even though Monday's 10-1 win over Hoosac raised its record to 12-6, Taconic's lows have been pretty low indeed.

 

"It was an up and down week last week," Taconic coach Kevin Stannard said. "We played great against Drury, and then we played probably one of the worst games I've ever been associated with against Monument.

 

"You know with Monument, they're not going to beat themselves. They're going to do the little things they need to do to win. But we just didn't show up that day. That's how bad it was."

 

Since that 11-0 loss to the Spartans, Taconic has won three straight by a margin of 38-5 against Southern Division foes.

Stannard said his team learned its lesson.

 

"We let it be known and sent a message to the seniors, and I think they got the message," he said. "The last three games, we've played pretty well."

 

Taconic got production throughout the lineup on Monday.

 

Alex Carusotto led a 19-hit attack with a 4-for-5 day at the plate. He dobuled twice, including a one-out shot to right-center that started a four-run rally in the bottom of the second.

 

Mitchell Clary, Steve Witkowski and Joey Dewey each went 3-for-4.

 

Dewey also pitched five-plus innings, scattering four hits with two strikeouts and four walks before departing with runners on first and second in the top of the sixth.

 

Carusotto and Taconic's defense made sure neither of those runs scored.

 

First, Abdiel Cotto made a diving grab in center field to deny Hoosac's Jacob Swistak of an RBI. Then second baseman Witkowski fielded a ground ball, touched the bag and fired to first for an inning-ending double play.

 

Ryan Abel struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning to close the game.

 

Taconic got all the runs it would need back in the first on RBI singles by Witkowski and Dewey.

In the second, the lead went to 6-0 thanks to an RBI double from Clary, Witkowski's two-run single and an RBI single by Kevin Squires.

 

Hoosac got one back in the fourth when Justin Nichols singled home Brandon Tworig.

 

But Taconic tacked on runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to put the game out of reach.

 

Despite the loss, Hoosac (8-8) has assured itself a place in the Western Mass tournament by virtue of its second place

finish in the Southern Division.

 

Nichols will get the ball on Wednesday when Hoosac plays Drury under the lights at Joe Wolfe Field. The 10 teams in the Berkshire County league are scheduled to finish on Friday or Saturday in the Berkshire Classic, which pits the North and South teams against one another in order of their finish.

 

Hoosac coach Bob Rivard said his team, which has won three of its last four, is rounding into form.

 

"We're where we're supposed to be," he said. "If we get a few breaks here or there, I think we'll be OK. It's been a long season, but I see things breaking the way I thought they would.

 

"It's just a matter of putting some runs on the board. We haven't been able to do that. But defensively, I think we're starting to be where we're supposed to be."