WEST CALDWELL - Caldwell's Anthony Mautone usually takes the first pitch when he is at the plate.
And in the bottom of the seventh inning against West Essex pitcher Dan Gautieri, he did just that. Mautone took an inside fastball and hammered it down the left field line against the wall to score Mike Aliota, giving the Chiefs a come-from-behind 5-4 victory on Monday.
"I think the other teams know that I always take the first pitch," said Mautone, who got the game winning hit before his home crowd in West Caldwell. "This time I wanted to be aggressive and just hammered the first pitch."
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The win evened Caldwell's record at 1-1 after an opening loss to West Orange; the game was the season opener for West Essex.
In addition, it marked the end of a hex Gautieri had on Caldwell. The senior pitcher defeated the Chiefs three times last season en route to West Essex winning the Group 2 state title. For Mautone and the rest of the Chiefs, it was a relief to finally beat West Essex and Gautieri.
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"It was good to finally win one," said Mautone.
Gautieri came in relief for Knights starter Dave Jesch who was cruising against the Caldwell offense that was only able to get two hits off him. Jesch also struck out eight batters.
But West Essex head coach Scott Illiano said he hit his pitching count. "It is too early in the season and he (Jesch) has a whole career ahead of him," said Illiano about taking Jesch out.
Illiano said he had "faith" in Gautieri to get the final three outs. "I have all the confidence in the world in Danny," said Illiano. "You have to give credit to Caldwell. They did not give up."
The bottom of the seventh inning started with Michael LaTorraca getting a base hit to right field. Then Tyler Condit coaxed a walk and Matt Vitello loaded the bases with another base hit to right field. LaTorraca scored on a wild pitch to cut the Knights lead to 4-1. John Gallagher smacked a double to centerfield to score Condit and Vitello to make it a 4-3 West Essex lead.
After Gautieri got Sonny Puzzo and T.J. Reuter to ground out, Aliota got on base on an errant throw to first base to continue the comeback.
That set up Mautone's smack to left field to score Gallagher and Aliota to win the game.
"The positive thing for us is that the kids sure did not quit," said Caldwell head coach Tom Lamont, who admitted his team did not play the first six innings.
The win gave the Chiefs a little retribution from last season where West Essex won all three games including a one-run victory over Caldwell in the state playoffs.
Keeping Caldwell in the game was starting pitcher Mike Jeffrey. "He pitched great and went pitch to pitch with Jesch," said Lamont.
While Jesch struck out eight Caldwell batters and only allowed a pair of hits, West Essex started to build a lead that appeared to be impenetrable.
Knights centerfielder Ralph Velardi smacked a single into left field to score pinch runner Mike Jones and second baseman Mike Marotti to give West Essex a 2-0 lead.
The Knights raised their lead to 3-0 after Vincent Cosenzo scored on a Caldwell error. In the sixth, Gautieri hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Chris Carragher from third base and gave West Essex the 4-0 lead.
