Seniors Peter Durocher (19) and Joe Carmosino celebrate after scoring the tying and go-ahead runs in the fifth inning of Emerson’s Group 1 state-semifinal win over New Providence. Durocher later drove in the winning run to lift the Cavos to an eight-inning, 9-8 win on Monday, June 3, 2019.
(Photo & Story by Greg Tartaglia/NorthJersey.com)
DEMAREST – Peter Durocher searched for the right word and decided to go with “exhilarating”.
That describes more than just the eighth-inning RBI blooper that the senior hit to lift Emerson past New Providence, 9-8, in Monday’s NJSIAA Group 1 baseball semifinal at NV/Demarest.
The victory that sent the Cavos to their third state final since 2015 was their third extra-inning, walk-off win in the playoffs in three years.
The odds of that happening to any varsity baseball team are nearly impossible. Such a phenomenon practically begs for a nickname of some sort.
Emerson Exhilaration it is.
“We’re just a great team to watch, to play with,” Durocher said. “I love my teammates, I wouldn’t want to go to battle with anyone else.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever ‘get used to’ walk-offs, especially with my buddies, who are my best friends since I’m little,” said senior Joe Giacalone, who scored the winning run. “This team perseveres a lot. We really do keep the faith, and we never put our heads down.”
What it means
Emerson (22-7) will face Glassboro in the state final Saturday at Veterans Park in Hamilton Township at 10 a.m.
