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07/11/2006
Casoli reflects on record streakBeach Bums starter says he lost focus in 9thTRAVERSE CITY — Now that's it's over, Tony Casoli can put it all into perspective. Or try to. The Traverse City Beach Bums right-hander set a Frontier League pitching record on Sunday night by extending his scoreless streak to 35 consecutive innings. He was within one out of making it 36 — and setting another league record with his fifth shutout of the season — when Gateway finally broke through with a pair of runs in the ninth inning. Casoli gave up an infield single, a double and another single, then was pulled from the game by Bums manager Jeff Isom. "It was a lot more disappointing than I thought it would be," Casoli said Monday. "Going into every game I try to think the same way — give my team a chance to win. But last night I changed my focus. "I got a little selfish and started thinking about the streak. I wanted to keep it going, and it didn't work out." Casoli (7-1, 1.89 ERA) said he has never had a scoreless streak nearly as long — "not in high school, not in college, not ever." "I'd never done anything like that," Casoli said. "The guys in the clubhouse started saying, 'What you're doing is pretty amazing.' In college (at Georgia Southwestern) I didn't pitch shutouts, even in seven-inning games." Isom said he had never seen such a dominating performance stretched over so many games. "I've had some pretty good pitchers, but I've never seen anything like that, obviously," Isom said. "Tony just goes out and takes command of games from start to finish. His work ethic, the way he prepares — he's just fun to watch. "When Tony's on the mound he's so focused," Isom said. "He's like a grumpy old man. Just stay away." Casoli, 24, hopes that his good fortune will continue. He hopes he has learned from last year, when he jumped out to a 7-2 start with the Richmond Roosters but finished 8-6. "It was just me getting into a groove," Casoli said of the scoreless streak. "It was fun while it lasted. "I'll just have to start a new one, I guess."
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