Baseball team dominates at CACC post-season tournament, defeats NJIT for title, 9-1 as York stars; Team headed to NCAA Northeast Regional championships, starting May 13; Kolesar (MVP of post-season tourney), Waddilove, Moyle, York, Whitfield and McGee earn All-Conference accolades

Before heading to Teikyo Post University for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference post-season baseball tournament last Thursday, Caldwell coach Chris Reardon was unusually calm about his team's chances.

“I think we're going to win it,” Reardon said, almost matter-of-factly. “I just think we're playing real well now. The kids know what's at stake for this weekend, and the chance to continue playing past this weekend.”

Mission accomplished.

And then some.

Caldwell (27-14), the fourth seed, dominated the tournament, defeating top seeded Nyack 10-6 in the first round, then stopping NJIT 11-1 in the semifinals and 9-1 in the final. The championship game was played on May 10, at Riverfront Stadium in Newark. The title game had been rained out on May 9 at Teikyo Post and the powers-to-be decided to play the game at a closer venue for the New Jersey-based schools.

Prior to the championship game with NJIT, Reardon and his team learned they earned a bid to the NCAA, Division II Tournament, which begins with the Northeast Regional from May 13-16. Caldwell's first round opponent on May 13 in the double-elimination set up is St. Anslem. Game time is 3 p.m. (Caldwell is seeded second in the 4-team region while St. Anslem is third. The other first round matchup is top seeded Bryant against Dowling).

Despite the euphoria of earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in team history (and just the second time in school history), Caldwell was all business when it played for the conference title.

“We hadn't won anything yet,” Reardon recalled. “I think people expected us not to take the championship game seriously. We knew we earned the NCAA berth, but winning the conference, especially after losing in the championship game last year, was a big thing for us.”

Once again, the Cougars received a dominant pitching performance, this time from sophomore pitcher Derek York (Lanoka Harbor, NJ). York struck out two and walked none while allowing five hits. The one run he allowed was unearned. Joe Catenacci (Helmetta, NJ) and Landon Viessy (Bayside, NY) had run scoring singles and John Waddilove (Lincoln Park, NJ) smacked a two-run single in the seventh.

Pitching was clearly the theme of the weekend for Caldwell. It started on Friday when Mike Kolesar (8-1) spotted Nyack three runs in the first inning, then bore down to pitch a gutsy complete game as the Cougars rallied to win, 10-6.

“Mike Kolesar is a warrior,” Reardon said after the win. “There's no other way to put it. He gave it everything he had today and kept us in it after the slow start.”

Kolesar's overall performance in the tourney, on the mound, at the plate and in centerfield, earned him MVP honors.

NOTES: To show how dominant Caldwell was in the tournament, consider they outscored their opponents 30-5 after the first inning of the first game with Nyack.

In the semifinal victory over NJIT on May 8, Brian Moyle (Pompton Lakes, NJ) once again registered double-figures in strikeouts.

Caldwell's Kolesar, Waddilove, Hasani Whitfield (Briarwood, NY) and Ryan McGee (Cedarhurst, NY) were named All-CACC. The All-CACC Tournament team included Kolesar, McGee, Moyle and York.