Pfeifer saves the day as Central defeats GAMP

KEVIN PFEIFER won't soon forget his most recent Public League mound appearance for Central High's baseball team.

In part because of its roller-coaster nature. But mostly because he'd never made another.

Though the 6-1, 190-pound Pfeifer, a righthander, is a senior and second-year varsity player, his slingin' services were never needed last season on a team packed with quality veterans. In fact, he rarely got near the field at all.

"I can't even tell you how many times I played," he said. "I should be able to, though, because the number was so low."

Yesterday, Pfeifer started in leftfield and batted sixth as the Lancers hosted Girard Academic Music Program in a Division A contest that featured some sloppy play, but wound up in the pretty-darn-niiiiiice category.

Central triumphed, 7-6, and Pfeifer notched a save.

Strangely, his confidence soared at the moment it should have been disappearing, or at least diminishing.

Lefty Mark Gervasi, who'd replaced Pete Rowe three batters into the sixth, was waved back to first base, his original position, four batters into the seventh. GAMP already had drawn within 7-5 on Dom Raia's sacrifice fly, and there were runners on first and third.

Pfeifer immediately walked Joe Coppola. Uh, oh.

He retired Tyler Criniti on another sac fly (oddly, the fifth of the game). OK, not bad, even though the Pioneers were now within one.

He walked Anthony Retallick. Uh, oh.

Was there a river of sweat under each of Pfeifer's armpits?

"I was really nervous when I first went out to pitch," he said. "After I walked that last guy and the bases were loaded, I started feeling a little more comfortable."

Say what!?

"I was finding my arm slot," he said. "That made me feel good. Oh, no doubt, my heart was still pumping, but I thought it was gonna work out."

The batter was Joe Garafalo. Three straight strikes. Swinging. Swinging. Looking. Ballgame.

"I took a deep breath right before that. Calmed down for a minute," Pfeifer said.

All three pitches were heaters.

"The catcher [Julien Blancon] asked for curves on the first two," Pfeifer said. "But I wasn't sure I'd be able to throw them the right way, so I shook him off for fastballs. It was all fastball on that last one. He called it. I threw it."

Pfeifer said former coach Bob Barthelmeh noticed his arm strength last year and mentioned to Rich Weiss, now in his first season, that he was closer material.

"My job is to blow kids away when they're tired at the end of the game," Pfeifer noted.

If Pfeifer's name is vaguely familiar, you must follow football. At linebacker, he enjoyed some strong moments last fall for the Lancers, even making good-pursuit tackles where the line of scrimmage pretty much met the sideline. He earned second-team Daily News All-Public honors.

"Baseball's my true love, though," he said. "I might be going to Millersville, and I might try to play there as a walk-on."

Central's sac flies were provided by Trevor Newcomb, Gabe Buchanan (to the second baseman, in shallow rightfield) and Adam Hoskins. Buchanan (2-for-3, three RBI) also hammered a two-run double, and Gervasi smoked an RBI single.

In retrospect, the key run of the game was scored in the second when freshman Tom Benek ran through a stop sign and was out by a time zone, but managed to dislodge the ball from catcher Dom Garafalo's glove.

For GAMP, Sal Giafaglione reached base in all four of his plate appearances (two walks sandwiched two singles) and Joe Garafalo, Dom's twin, inside-outed a controversial, two-run double to right; the ball glanced off a lunging Hoskins' glove when he appeared to be well into foul territory.

Central had to go without its lone experienced player, sophomore pitcher-outfielder Mike Cavallaro (hamstring issue). GAMP lost Nick Coppola, Joe's cousin, right away to a left-ankle injury; he stumbled over the bag while beating out an infield single.

Maybe because of his football mentality, Pfeifer shows good leadership skills.

"It's weird being on a team with only four returnees," he said. "It's like an I'm elder. I try to do what I can when I can. Our young guys are stepping up. A lot."

Pfeifer, who lives in Oxford Circle, intends to major in criminal justice. His dad, John, is about to retire as a corrections officer in the Philadelphia prison system.

"I've always wanted to do something to help the community," Kevin Pfeifer said.

Yesterday, not without drama, he saved the day. *