FARMINGTON HURLER PITCHES ANOTHER GEM AS FALCONS APPROACH 20 WIN-PLATEAU

 

By SCOTT M. BURNSTEIN

Special to The Oakland Press

It was cold outside late-Friday afternoon, so it was appropriate that Farmington senior pitcher, P.J. Cooley, lived up to his name and the conditions by throwing an entire baseball game with ice in his veins. Playing under unseasonably-cool and rainy weather, Cooley pitched a one-hitter, striking out a season-high 14 batters, in leading the Falcons to a 5-0 home victory over Bloomfield Hills Lahser.

In addition to going the distance for the win, Cooley didn't issue a single walk the whole outing. The lanky fireballer has been cruising on the mound all season long and less than 10 days ago he committed to Hillsdale. Last Saturday, Cooley K'd 13 batters in sparking Farmington to the championship trophy at its own invitational tournament. This past Wednesday, he showed some pop at the plate, belting two home runs and accumulating six RBI in a defeat of Bloomfield Hills Andover.

Cooley's decision to commit to Hillsdale guarantees him that he will be reunited the next four years with his current teammate and good friend, Dan Pochmara, at the next level.  A four-year varsity performer, Pochmara, also headed to play for the Chargers next year, is a career .345 hitter.

Fellow seniors, Errik Scott and Joel Fisher, ignited the Falcons offense. Scott was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI and Fisher (committed to Michigan State) was 1-for-3 and also had a pair of base-knocks.

The Falcons raise their overall record to 18-4 and currently hold the number 10 ranking in the state in Division One.

IVE DECIDED TO NICKNAME P.J. "COOL PAPA" BECAUSE, WELL, HE'S COOL AS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PILLOW ON THE FIELD AND HIS HITTING PROWESS MAKES ALL OPPOSING PITCHERS CALL HIM DADDY!