The last few years the North Arlington baseball team has been just playing out the string with no hope for playing postseason baseball.
But in 2008 the Vikings will be searching for a state playoff bid. North Arlington helped its cause on Saturday with a 13-8 victory over Hawthorne Christian that put the Vikings’ record at 7-8-1 with three games this week. It will be tough though as they traveled to Wallington on Monday and hosted Lyndhurst on Tuesday (after press deadline) with a game on the cutoff on Friday at Hasbrouck Heights. All three teams are near the top of the BCSL National. North Arlington though only lost 4-3 the first time around against Lyndhurst.
But even with the odds against them, first year head coach Paul Marcantuono said that this is a big step up for the program and for the seniors on the team.
"This is the first time that there is something they can play for," said Marcantuono. "I told them that you want to play for a meaningful game. That you are playing for a meaningful game is something to be proud in itself."
Against Hawthorne Christian the Vikings started out slowly as the Defenders scored six times in the top of the first inning. But Marcantuono went to Anthony Iavarone on the mound and everything turned around. Iavarone would proceed to stop Hawthorne Christian and struck out 17 batters for the game as he went the complete game. Iavarone’s pitching would keep the Vikings in race for the state playoff bid. The senior hurler would allow only two runs and five hit’s the rest of the way.
While Iavarone picked up the big win on the mound, senior Joe Monahan has been stellar pitching this season and has compiled a 3-2 record with a 2.25 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 31 innings.
"His key is that he hits his locations and he is a workhorse," said Marcantuono about Monahan. "He can pitch the entire game."
The rest of the team has been pitching in, literally, on the mound. "It’s like the entire pitching staff has been adding to the record," said Marcantuono.
While Monahan has been dominant on the mound, the senior has also been doing it with his stick. Monahan leads the team in batting average at .413 while also leading the team in RBI with 18. The Vikings have also illustrated some power with Monahan and senior Mike Gross hitting two dingers each. Iavarone also has one home run. Marcantuono said that Iavarone has been coming on as the season progressed.
Iavarone is the next in terms of RBI with 16 while hitting .306 and four doubles and three triples. Gross is hitting .333 this season with 11 RBI, two doubles and a triple to go along with the two home runs.
If North Arlington plays like they did on April 22, they will be getting a state tournament bid. On that day everything seemed to come together for the Vikings as North Arlington defeated Secaucus, 6-0, in a BCSL National game.
Monahan pitched his best game so far this season as he fired a no-hitter while striking out nine for a complete game. "It was a great game and everybody made the plays defensively," said Marcantuono.
