Gervasi sparks Central's victory over George Washington

BASEBALL IS tough enough without choosing to wage a constant battle against an unseen opponent.

For confirmation, check with Mark Gervasi, who no longer allows Mark Gervasi to get the best of him.

Gervasi, a 6-3, 205-pound senior who throws and bats lefthanded, stars at first base for Central High and next year, as a preferred walk-on, will try to make an impact at Temple. Over the last few years, he has realized that - hey, perish the thought - at-bats include three strikes. And that unsuccessful ones can't be followed by temper tantrums.

"If you went back and talked to my coaches from the time I was 5 years old . . . They'd tell you I was a little bit of a nut job," Gervasi said, laughing. "I had anger issues."

Immediate clarity: Not at others. Only at himself.

"I would get frustrated very easily," he added. "I'd get to two strikes, then get myself out. It's not too cool when you're 12 years old and getting ejected from Little League games [for slamming bats, etc.]. My dad [Thomas] was always at those games, and he was after me pretty much forever to calm myself down. And my mom [Marian Nasuti-Gervasi] would try to talk to me when I'd come home, and she'd see how frustrated I'd get."

The subject of the old Mark Gervasi came up Monday after the new Mark Gervasi paced the Lancers past visiting George Washington, 14-4, in a six-inning Public A game.

Hitting cleanup, he went 3-for-4 with a walk, double and four RBI.

As sometimes happens in baseball, his least impressive at-bat wound up working out the best. In the first, Gervasi sent a looper down the leftfield line and the result was a two-run double. He walked in the second, fought valiantly in the third before lacing a two-run single to center, grounded out hard to first base in the fifth and laced a single to right in the sixth.

Gervasi liked plate appearance No. 3 the best.

"On the first two pitches, my swings were way ahead," he said. "I kept telling myself, 'Slow down . . . Slow down.' I really tried to calm myself down. A year or two ago, I probably wouldn't have been able to refocus myself. Probably would have struck out. So to stay in there, make the adjustment and get the hit, that made me feel good."

Speaking of adjustments . . .

To some extent, Gervasi now sports a new body. Along with teammate Mike Cavallaro, Girard Academic Music Program's Dom Raia and some Catholic League players, he spent the fall and winter attending strength and conditioning sessions directed by former MLB pitcher Frank DiMichele, a product of the old St. John Neumann.

"The improved strength and flexibility has really helped me," Gervasi said. "The sessions were two to three times a week - big time investment - but Frank has meant everything to me. He has been everything I could hope for."

Cavallaro went 3-for-5 with two RBI. Dan Quinn stroked three singles (for two RBI) and reached base in his other plate appearances as well (walk, hit by pitch). Julien Blancon singled and doubled three times en route to one RBI while Gabe Buchanan and Tom Benek posted RBI singles.

Senior righthander Pete Rowe (five innings) and Anthony DeVito did the pitching.

Four of Washington's six hits were doubles and three chased home runs (one RBI apiece for Tom Marano and Manny Martinez, two for Jake Wright).

In the third, there was a sequence that was simultaneously scary/funny. Quinn ripped a line drive off the back of pitcher Bryan Reiss' left heel. Reiss walked things off and said he was OK to continue. Clang! Cavallaro hammered the very next pitch off the back of Reiss' right knee. This one, too, was a liner.

Reiss persevered to complete the inning. Dan Yost, soon to be ejected for complaining to plate ump Joe Lieberman about balls/strikes (during a dash to the plate after a wild pitch), went to the mound for the fourth, and Reiss, tender knee and all, maintained a sunny disposition while moving to catcher.

Gervasi contends he has struggled this season.

"I've been having trouble finding my hand position," he said. "My average is fine, but the power numbers haven't been there. Where I had my hands today, I felt a lot quicker to the ball."

Gervasi, who lives near 18th and Moyamensing, drew Temple's attention at a camp.

"I guess their coach likes the fact that I'm 6-3, 200 pounds," he said. "He told me in an email, 'If you try out, my guess is that you'll make the team. But I'll be conservative and say you have to earn your spot.'

"That was the only Division I program that had any interest in me, whatsoever. So I'm going for it. Pete Rowe's going to give it a shot, too."

Gervasi intends to major in environmental science.

"The way the economy's going," he said, "I figure there will be a lot of job opportunities in that area, especially with the green movement."

As for baseball, Gervasi has learned that he fares much better when he prevents frustration from turning his face beet red.