Levine Trumps Jet Lag and Montclair for a First Class Seat to Playoffs

South Orange Junior American Legion pitcher Russell Levine looked as sharp as a tack Saturday afternoon as the sun bore down. He certainly didn't look like someone who had recently vacationed for two weeks in China, and had just returned from having endured a 15-hour flight.

Levine, who'll be a junior in the fall at Columbia High, pitched seven strong innings to lead South Orange to a 7-2 Essex County Junior League win over Montclair at Columbia's Underhill Field. The Cougars also got four, two-out, RBI hits to take command early in the game. They improved their record to 14-7, scoring at least one run in five of the six innings they batted.

Head coach Chris Henry said  South Orange plays at Millburn Sun. morning at 10 am. to determine where and when they play next Saturday in the state tournament.

Levine threw to where catcher Nick Rego placed his glove. "I haven't pitched in three weeks, so I just did what I did before and tried to make good pitches,'' said the right-handed Levine, who said he recovered from jet lag during the week and just had his first practice Friday.

"He was all around the plate; I have to tip my hat to him and the guys made clutch plays behind him,'' Henry said.

Levine struck out six, gave up eight hits and walked three.

"Second to last inning, I was feeling fatigued, but I got through it,'' Levine said.
His defense helped.

Montclair threatened in the top of the first, but a fine defensive play by the Cougars kept it off the scoreboard. Aaron Yanku singled with one out, and then tried to reach third base on another single by Brandon Taylor. But South Orange left fielder Chris Aurrioma scooped up the ball and made a great throw to third baseman Dan Heffley, who tagged Yanku before he could make it. Two outs.

"It definitely helps,'' said Levine, who's lived in the U.S. since he was two. ""It definitely makes me pitch better when my defense plays well behind me.''

 The inning ended when Julian Lee popped to center fielder Brendan Spears.
"Chris made a beautiful throw to third base and it set a tone for the game,'' Henry said.

South Orange built off momentum in the bottom of the first. Sean Tamayo sliced a clutch two-out single to score Heffley, who'd singled. Two were down in the second inning when the Cougars built another rally. Auriemma singled, moved to second on an outfield.  the second inning a long two-out double that bounced off the left field wall by Spears  scored Auriemma, who'd singled after two outs.

"We have tended to leave the bases loaded sometimes with no outs or second and third with no outs, but the last couple of games these guys have come up in clutch situations and that's been the key to our wins,'' Henry said.

Spears walked in the fourth, stole second and went to third on a balk, and then scored on Heffley's suicide squeeze bunt that gave South Orange a 5-0 lead. The Cougars made it 6-0 when Heffley scored on Jake Pomper's triple to center.
"Danny Heffley is probably one of the hottest hitters in the county right now,'' Henry said. "He comes up with a lefty on the mound; I thought it was a good time to try to get an extra run. It's always good to get extras for insurance.''