Baseball: Pennsauken stuns RV in 8 innings
Brandon Acetti has dramatically changed his diet in the last year.
He's still free to feast on fastballs.
Acetti, a junior first baseman, delivered the first walk-off hit of his career, lining an RBI single to left in the bottom of the eighth inning to power Pennsauken to a 5-4 victory over Rancocas Valley in a Burlco Liberty Division baseball game on Monday.
"I just wanted to come through for my team," said Acetti, who was mobbed by teammates after rounding first base.
Acetti's hit scored senior catcher Jake Urena, who opened the bottom of the eighth inning with an opposite-field triple.
"I was just trying to get on," Urena said. "When I saw how hard he (the RV right-fielder) was running, I knew it was over his head."
The victory put surprising Pennsauken in command of the division race near the halfway mark of the regular season. The Indians are 5-3 overall and 4-0 in the division, with victories over each of their Liberty rivals -- RV, Burlington Township, Northern Burlington and Moorestown.
"Last year, teams were 10-running us," Urena said. "That's how much we've improvement."
No player better symbolizes the Indians' progress than Acetti, who said he played last season at 300 pounds.
He's down to 250 now, thanks to a rigorous off-season regimen of exercise -- including running hills in Cinnaminson -- and improved eating habits.
"No more rice and beans," Acetti said. "No more junk food. All chicken and vegetables. It was hard. But I knew I had to lose weight."
Pennsauken coach Cetsh Byrd raves about Acetti's hard work.
"He paid the price," Byrd said. "It's not easy. I know that. Especially when you're a young kid and all your friends are going out for pizza. But he was determined to get himself back in shape.
"You're seeing the fruits of his labor."
Acetti is among the Indians' leading hitters with a .375 average (9-for-24). He also has made great strides at first base.
"That's the biggest difference, the way he can move around," Byrd said.
Pennsauken tied the game 4-4 with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, as No. 8 hitter Ramon Andujar and No. 9 hitter John Torres each delivered RBI singles.
Senior shortstop JoJo Alvarez was 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs for Rancocas Valley (8-2, 1-1).
"We've lost two games and I think we made six errors in each of them," RV coach Dave Hower said. "But give them credit. I told them after the game, 'They played harder than we did.'"
Rancocas Valley 200 200 00 -- 4 8 5
Pennsauken 002 000 21 -- 5 7 0
WP: Pete Sierra. LP: Trevor Perks.
3B: RV-JoJo Alvarez.
-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com
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