Dylan Iwanyk, Jack Dufficy pitch CBA to record 8th SCT baseball championship
LAKEWOOD - Christian Brothers Academy was without its two best pitchers Wednesday night in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game against Southern at ShoreTown Ballpark.
It turned out to be no problem for the Colts.
Sophomore right-hander Dylan Iwanyk - the No. 3 pitcher in the rotation - and junior right-hander Jack Dufficy combined on a three-hitter as CBA recorded a 1-0 win for its record SCT eighth championship and first since 2016.
It was the fourth straight time CBA won an SCT with a shutout. The three straight from 2014-16 came with Luca Dalatri - the Shore's all-time winningiest pitcher with 35, pitching two of those games.
Both ace and Wake Forest recruit Chris Levonas and sophomore Danny DiTullio were ineligible to pitch under NJSIAA pitching rules.
"Both those guys (Levonas and DiTullio) are studs,'' Iwanyk, who allowed two hits, struck out two, walked two and hit two batters and threw 68 pitches over the first 5 1/3 innings, said. "But, I feel like every game that I pitch as a sophomore is a learning experience.''
Dufficy, who had pitched five innings all season and had not pitched since May 9, struck out three, walked one intentionally and allowed an infield single over the final 1 2/3 innings while throwing 24 pitches.
"I wanted to be out there and I wanted to do my thing,'' Dufficy said.
Big inning-ending outs in the fifth and sixth
Southern (19-5), which was in its first SCT final, threatened in both the fifth and sixth innings.
In the fifth, the Rams had a runner at third with two out when Iwanyk won an eight-pitch duel with No. 9 batter Matt Desiderio by getting a comebacker to him. Iwanyk then sprinted to first for the unassisted out.
"The entire game I wasn't really placing my slider very well, but I was hitting my change-up pretty well,'' Iwanyk said. "I knew if I attacked him with some offspeed, but also ran the fastball, I could throw his timing off. I just think if I execute my pitches I could just battle with the hitter and have him hopefully put the ball on the ground.''
The next inning, Dufficy came on with a runner on second and one out. He then struck out No. 3 hitter Brady Lesiak, who is one of Southern's best hitters. Then, after an intentional walk to cleanup batter Gabe Tomei and an infield single to second by Logan Zeitler loaded the bases, Dufficy came back from a 2-1 count to strike out Brian Harper.
"I was just trying to calm myself down. I knew I had the stuff,'' Dufficy said.
CBA scratched out the run
The Colts (17-5) scored the game's only run in the third when Jared Matejicka led off with a single to center. He then stole second, moved to second on Will Fahey's sacrifice bunt and scored when a pitch from Southern starter Tyler McLeod high and inside and went off of catcher Gabe Tomei's glove.
It was the second straight game CBA won on a wild pitch. Fahey scored the winning run that way in the Colts' 5-4 win over four-time defending champion Red Bank Catholic Monday night in the semifinal.
"It felt good know I could pitch with the run behind me,'' Iwanyk said. "It made me comfortable.''
Iwanyk was excited for the opportunity
Iwanyk said he found out on Tuesday from CBA head coach Marty Kenney Jr. he was getting the start Wednesday
"I just knew I deserved this game,'' Iwanyk said. "I knew I had a great defense and I knew I was going to come out here and perform, no matter what the circumstances were.''
Pitching vailiantly in defeat
Southern pitchers McLeod and Lesiak pitched well enough to win. McLeod pitched in and out trouble and allowed six hits, struck out two, hit hit and threw 81 pitches in 5 1/3 innings. Lesiak retired all four batters he faced over the final 1 1/3 innings.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore NJ Baseball: Dylan Iwanyk, Jack Dufficy pitch CBA to SCT title
