Baseball: St. Augustine beats Clearview

By Phil Anastasia

St. Augustine coach Mike Bylone has one bit of advice for his seniors: Seize the moment.

"You've got, what, 40 at bats left in your career?" Bylone said. "You have to grab it."

Seniors Joey Gatto and Dylan Tolbert (pictured) seemed to heed Bylone's words on Saturday.

Gatto pitched a complete game and Tolbert was 3-for-3 as St. Augustine beat Clearview 5-2 in the first round of the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic at Maple Shade.

St. Augustine (15-4) advanced to face the winner of Saturday's second game between Gloucester Catholic and Audubon in the Diamond Classic quarterfinals next Saturday at Deptford.

Gatto, a right-hander who was pitching as usual in front of major-league scouts, allowed one earned run on five hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Gatto's best pitch: A 93 mph fastball on the outside corner that was a called strike three for the third out with runners on second and third in the third inning.

Tolbert reached base four times with three singles and a hit by pitch. He had an RBI single in the second.

"We're playing well as a team," Tolbert said. "I like where we're at."

Gatto was 2-for-4 and his courtesy runner scored in the first and second.

Sophomore Mike Vasturia was 2-for-3 with an RBI single for St. Augustine.

Senior T.J. Dezzi, a University of the Sciences recruit, was 2-for-3 with a stolen bases and run scored for Clearview (13-3).

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

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