27130417
When it comes to playing baseball, Anthony Venafro doesn’t know the meaning of a day off.
The last time the Girard Academic Music Program shortstop and occasional pitcher got some vacation it wasn’t by choice. Freshman year, the now-junior missed 12 games with a broken ankle.
But occasional rest is good, especially with the Public League playoffs starting in less than a week. With his Pioneers holding a comfortable 6-0 lead in the May 8 league game against Bok, Venafro got some well-earned time off. Before going to the bench, Venafro walked, singled and scored a run.
"It was good for everyone else who haven’t been getting a lot of playing time," said the 16-year-old with the .428 batting average. "We needed to win to clinch the fourth spot" in Division A.
What did Venafro do with his three innings of free time?
He got in some extra hitting practice in the batting cage and gave his teammates some valuable pointers.
Meanwhile, coach Art Kratchman took a look at some of his younger players.
"Anthony hasn’t gotten much rest because we only have 13 healthy," the coach said.
With Venafro in the lineup, Kratchman knows he has a player capable of doing it all.
"He doesn’t know how good he can be," Kratchman said. "He still, at times, gets down on himself because he thinks he should always go 4-for-4.
"He is one of the better players I’ve had here. There is nothing he doesn’t do well."
Needless to say, last month’s 11-7 loss to Central did not sit well with the athlete. Venafro was the starting pitcher and surrendered 13 walks. This afternoon at Central, Venafro will get a chance for some payback in the regular season finale.
"I hate losing," he said. "Since I was the pitcher in the last game and they beat me, I want some redemption. It’s always good to beat a top-four team, especially one that’s ahead of you."
Central heads into the contest with an 11-2 record, good enough for second place in Division A.
Either way, the Pioneers know they are opening the playoffs May 15 at home against Prep Charter, who entered the week with a 6-5 record. The winner will advance to the May 17 AA championship game, facing the victor of the semifinal game between Saul-Nueva Esperanza for a spot in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association AA Tournament. Even with an 8-5 record against the city’s top teams, Kratchman knows clinching the Public League AA District 12 title for the second year in a row is far from guaranteed.
"We are very concerned with [Prep Charter and Saul] because we haven’t seen them yet," Kratchman said. "Saul is 11-1 [in Division B], so you have to be concerned with them."
Venafro agrees.
"Prep Charter is no pushover and Saul definitely is no pushover," he said.
Should the Pioneers succeed in defending their AA crown, they would advance to the league quarterfinals May 22 against a yet to-be-determined opponent. Last season, GAMP lost to Northeast in the round of eight.
Venafro said he likes his team’s chances.
"We were good last year, but I think we got better as a team," he said. "Nothing against the seniors [from last year’s team.] We just have to stay focused for the whole game."
FURNESS AND BOK each have qualified in the AAA bracket. Furness, who finished the regular season with a 4-5 record, lost its May 9 opening-round game against Swenson, 17-1. May 15, Swenson will play Bok at 11th and Bigler streets for a spot in the May 17 AAA championship game.
Bok enters the playoffs still looking for its first win of the season. Including Monday’s loss to GAMP, the team is 0-13. In the AAA bracket, the Wildcats won’t have to worry about playing the Division A squads, who have been scoring 10 runs a game against them.
"We’ll match up better with [the AAA teams]," Bok coach Frank Natale said. "I know we’re going to be a lot better because we are practicing hard. I know it’s going to pay off."
