Chapter 5: Mercy



Second baseman Gerard Ortepio makes another good play

 



     "It's a good day to swing away," coaxes Coach Martin as our bus pulls up to the grassy expanse of Montgomery High School's new baseball stadium on a clear windy day in late May.

"It's blowing out to left center," notes first baseman Mark Geisslinger after licking his finger and holding it up to the wind. "The righties will have a field day!"



     After four wins in a row our confidence was growing as we faced the wealthy township bordering Princeton. A blue collar team like Bound Brook relished the chance to take the rich kids down a notch or two. 

     The team bus was heading south on Route 206 when manager Arnie Martin realized our number one fan Mr. Matthews was not behind us. He called for the driver to pull into an old country store and ran in, emerging a minute later with a huge grin and a jumbo pack of Big Red chewing gum. The baseball gods had started to favor the red and white that season so there was no point in risking fate by ignoring one of our good luck charms.



     “Game over!” clamors the homeplate umpire waving his arms after sophomore second baseman Gerard Ortepio makes an agile backhand stab and throws out the Montgomery runner to end the fifth inning. “Mercy Rule for a ten run lead after five at bats.”

“You assholes could've saved some of those home runs (1) for Middlesex!" Coach Martin quips as we huddle around him. "All right now, go shake hands and we’ll celebrate back on the bus.”



Final score: Bound Brook (4-1) 17 - Montgomery (3-3) 5



1) Home runs by Barna, Beatty, Gulyas, Izzo, Sepesi, Vischetti (2)




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