The difference between the Brendan Foley that pitched in last year’s state championship game and the one that threw Tuesday night in a state semifinal game was immense.
Foley didn’t have his best effort last year as a junior in the 8-0 loss to Coginchaug Regional-Durham in the Class S state championship game. Pitching on the same field nearly a year later in a Class S state semifinal game against Immaculate-Danbury, Foley was incredible.
“(Foley) said it himself, but we kind of talked about it going into that game. We knew that it was in the back of his mind, his performance from last year, and he wanted to redeem himself, and he certainly did that, and then some,” St. Paul head coach Vic Rinaldi said. “Fourteen strikeouts in 6 1/3, first nine outs on Ks. He was definitely a man on a mission.”
There may have been no one happier for Foley than his catcher, senior Casey Cerruto.
“None of us thought he’d get a chance back at Palmer Field. He got his chance and he really left it all out there,” Cerruto said. “Catching him that game was fun. It was fun, just the energy he had all game and just how competitive he was with his pitches. I was happy to see him succeed there.”
Foley and Cerruto have developed trust between one another over the past two seasons, through the good performances and the bad. Cerruto can tell when something’s not right, and he can tell Foley. Foley is confident to throw the ball where he wants to, and Cerruto is confident that he will catch it.
“I listen to music a lot before the games, do a lot of mental and visual preparation,” Foley said after Tuesday’s gem.
When it comes to the music aspect, Cerruto had a funny story to share.
“Foley got to the locker room (at school Tuesday). He actually had his mom buy him a pair of headphones, and we kept telling him put the headphones on, we don’t want to hear you talking,” Cerruto said through a grin. “Get locked in, sit at your locker, don’t say anything.”
If you saw Foley walking toward the dugout when he first got to Palmer Field on Tuesday, you knew he was locked in. Stone-faced, with his headphones firmly on his ears, getting ready to pitch.
Foley, 9-1 on the season, was ready to go, and it showed on the mound Tuesday. Should he be needed in relief in today’s championship game, he’ll be ready to go again.
PHOTO CAPTION: St. Paul senior left-hander Brendan Foley pitched his team to the state championship game with a masterful effort in a semifinal win over Immaculate-Danbury on Tuesday. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69)
