Published: August 13, 2008 12:24 am      

Rams eliminate Cortlandt squad

PORTAGE — Faced with the prospect of a short trip to Johnstown, the Livonia Michigan Rams shrugged off an early deficit and sent New York Cortlandt packing with an 11-4 victory on Tuesday afternoon.

A day after being shut down by one of Baltimore’s top pitchers, the Rams offense got back on track against New York lefty Michael O’Hanlon, putting up two runs in the third, three in the fourth and four in the fifth to break the game open at 9-3.

Meanwhile, Livonia reliever James Bertakis was solid on the mound, limiting New York to only one run on four hits in six innings of work at Pete and Mick Haschak Memorial Field.

“I was particularly impressed that Bertakis pitched the last three or four innings after twisting his ankle,” Livonia manager Rick Berryman said. “He didn’t want to come out. He kept us in the game, kept the ball down and threw strikes.”

Rams first baseman Frank Persichino scored three times and second baseman Brett Mazmanian had four hits in five at-bats and scored twice. Ryan Abraham and Tim Cross also scored twice as the middle of the order provided plenty of punch for Livonia.

O’Hanlon had a pair of runs for New York, which lost its opening game to Washington in its first trip to the AAABA Tournament.

“The competition here is as good as it was built up to be, and it was a great experience for the guys,” New York manager Tom Brennan said. “We had a blast and the kids had fun.”

O’Hanlon threw 42⁄3 innings for Cortlandt, allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits. Reliever Kevin Keagle went 12⁄3 innings and gave up a run and two hits.

Tommy Brennan finished the contest by tossing two frames while giving up a run and three hits.

With a 3-2 lead after three innings, the momentum-shifting top half of the fourth may have proven the difference in the game’s outcome.

Cortlandt put its first three batters on base with a walk, fielder’s choice and single. But Bertakis struck out Kyle Dempsey, got P.J. Rigaud to fly out to short right field and Richie DePonto went down swinging.

“We got a few hits early, got up 3-0 and had them on the ropes with the bases loaded and no outs and 2-3-4 coming up, and we couldn’t get the guys home,” Tom Brennan said. “That got Livonia pumped up and they came out hitting after that.”

The Michigan Rams posted three runs of their own in the bottom half of the fourth. Loading the bases with no outs, Dan Augustine’s single to center plated Ryan Abraham to even the game at 3. Tim Cross and Frank Persichino then scored on a sacrifice fly from Tony Pounders and a single from Brad Herman, respectively, building the advantage to 5-3.

Four runs in the fifth built Livonia’s lead even larger as Shawn Little, Abraham, Cross and Persichino all tallied runs against O’Hanlon.

“We knew we had to win, and we played confident,” Mazmanian said. “We got them down and were able to put them away. We don’t want to let teams hang around, because they can come back and win the game.”

A run in the sixth from New York’s O’Hanlon was matched in the frame by Mazmanian, who also came around to score in the eighth.

Livonia’s Aaron Wick started the game for the Michigan Rams, lasted three innings and allowed three runs.