Union County Tournament review

Governor Livingston senior right-hander Anthony Corsi was outstanding for 6 innings Sunday night as the Highlanders and Cranford entered the inning tied at one.

Corsi, who will pitch at New Jersey Institute of Technology next year, started the inning having limited Cranford to two hits -- a leadoff homer by Vin Gilstrap in the second. But a leadoff double in the seventh by Mike Tubelli was the start of a night-marish inning for the Highlanders. Cranford scored six runs and won its fifth county title with a 7-1 win at Linden's Memorial Field.

"The double down the line set the table for them and it would have been nice to get out of the inning at 3-1, but it's high school baseball and things happen," GL coach Chris Roof said. "The team that makes the least amount of mistakes is going to be the winner."

Corsi walked Dave Jackson after Tubelli's double. He struck out Rob Colaneri -- his ninth and last of the night. Leadoff hitter Justin Ingram dribbled a ground ball toward Quaglia, who charged the ball, but Tubelli slid in with the go-ahead run. Two more errors in the inning didn't help. One on an infielder overthrow andother run coming home when a relay throw was dropped and another on a walk with the bases loaded. Of the Cougars seven runs, three were earned. The last four runs of the game were unearned.

"I missed location on the double. I was trying to bust him in on the hands, but he got his bat out," Corsi said. "I had to bear down and take care of business. When the time comes .. I was just trying to let them hit the ball and hit it on the ground hopefully."

Before the seventh, Corsi had pitched 18 innings and allowed four runs across three games against Cranford.

"Anthony pitched tonight -- he proved to everybody -- that he is one of the best pitchers in the state," Roof said. "I think that NJIT got a find right there. I think Rutgers, Seton Hall and other Division I schools missed out on this kid. Not just because of his stuff, but what's in his heart."

Governor Livingston was held to four hits by junior right Dan Moreno, who raised his record to 5-2. One of them was a two-out, solo homer by senior shortstop Brooks Miller in the first inning. GL could have had more in the first. Adam Bergman followed Miller's blast with a single, Kevin Wheaton walked and Justin Quaglia reached after striking out when the ball got away from catcher Dan Jackson. Jackson tried to throw to third to get Bergman, but the Highlanders had the bases loaded. But Moreno struck out Nick Hrynkiewicz looking to end the inning.

"That first inning was huge," Roof said. "Four hits in the game. When you get the bases loaded against a quality team like Cranford you got to put up a couple of runs on the board. In fact, we didn't score any after Brooks' homer."

Cranford has now won nine straight, its last lost May 1 against Gl. GL and Corsi beat Cranford 2-1 with a run in the bottom of the seventh.