By Dylan Butler
On Monday, Carnacchio ended his personal drought in a big way, belting a 2-run home run in the fifth inning to lift the Stanners to a 2-1 CHSAA league opening win over St. Francis Prep.”I didn't think it was going out, I thought the wind was going to bring it back,” Carnacchio said. “I got lucky.”Carnacchio crushed Rob Casal's first-pitch fastball over the fence in right field and that was all the offense Pelton needed. The senior from Flushing picked up where last year's standouts Matt Rizzotti (Manhattan College) and Brian Duffy (University of Maryland-Baltimore County) left off.Effectively throwing a two-seam and a four-seam fastball while spotting a curveball, Pelton scattered 5 hits, struck out 10 and walked 2 in a complete-game masterpiece.”Duffy and Rizzotti, I'm close with both of them,” Pelton said. “We give each other the business but now is my time. Last year I didn't come through when I should have and now I need to come through.”Added Molloy coach Jack Curran: “He was around the plate, he threw the ball well, he's very confident. He just pitched a great game.”Casal, who got the start because ace Richie Armento injured a finger on his throwing hand Saturday, was solid as well. In six innings, the junior righty allowed 6 hits, struck out 5 and walked 4, keeping the Stanners off balance with a steady diet of nasty curveballs.But after one curveball out of the strike zone, Carnacchio saw nothing but Casal's fastball and went 3-for-3, including his estimated 320-foot blast in the fifth inning. The center fielder from Belle Harbor nearly put Molloy (3-2, 1-0) ahead in the first, but he was thrown out on a delayed steal of home to end the inning.”I threw him a pitch I probably shouldn't have thrown,” Casal said. “I threw him a fastball which was pretty much right over the plate. I should have thrown him an off-speed pitch or wasted a pitch.”Pelton, who didn't allow a hit in the first three innings, got into trouble in the fifth. Back-to-back singles by Michael Garaufis and Ryan McManus set up Justin Gueli's RBI-single to center to give the Terriers a short-lived 1-0 lead.”I was throwing too many good pitches,” Pelton said. “I'm a control pitcher and sometimes I tend to throw too many around the plate.”St. Francis Prep (4-3, 0-1) threatened in the sixth inning when Robert Paccione led off with a single to left field and stole second base. But after Paul Karmas flew out to right, Pelton fanned Jason Kaye and Armento to end the rally.”Too many strikeouts,” said St. Francis Prep coach Bro. Robert Kent.Holy Cross 5, St. Francis Prep 2. Dan McNema scattered 5 hits in 5 innings, Chris Scopo went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI, Anthony Matos (2 runs scored) and George Carroll each went 2-for-4 and Pete Regan picked up a 6-out save for Holy Cross (3-0, 1-0 CHSAA) Tuesday. Karmas went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI for St. Francis Prep.McClancy 9, Christ the King 0. Andrew Guarrasi tossed a complete game 3-hitter with 12 strikeouts and Dan Lopez went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI for McClancy (2-4, 1-0) Monday at Juniper Park.PSALAviation 6, Bayside 5. Vincent Borrero had 16 strikeouts for Aviation (5-4, 3-1 Queens A East.)Far Rockaway 6, Hillcrest 3. Sherwin Sukhu smacked a 2-run homer for Far Rockaway (7-3, 4-2 Queens B-South) Monday.Townsend Harris 10, Art and Business 2. Chris Guillou tossed 13 strikeouts for Townsend Harris (3-0 Queens B North) Monday.Queens Vocational 17, Renaissance School 0. Alberto Aspiazu pitched a no-hitter, striking out seven for Queens Vocational (5-1 Queens B North) Monday.Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
