Gloucester Catholic tops St. Augustine to reach state baseball title game

The state final will be a rematch of a May 6 game in which Don Bosco beat Gloucester Catholic, 5-3, in 10 innings on a game-ending three-run homer by Dartmouth-bound Joe Purritano in an instant classic played in Provident Bank Park in Pomona, N.Y.

\”They got us the last time, but we look forward to playing them again,\” said Santone, a senior rightfielder who got the Rams started with a three-run double in the second inning.

Alessandrine, a senior shortstop, scored three runs and stole two bases. Theckston, a junior catcher known more for his defense, reached base three times and delivered a two-run single at the end of a nine-pitch at-bat in the fifth.

\”We can hit, one through nine, and we\’ve got guys on the bench who can hit, too,\” said Gloucester Catholic coach Dennis Barth, whose top-ranked team has won 10 in a row.