RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Joe Giulietti begins on the mound for South Carolina throughout a Little League World Series sport towards Massachusetts throughout the event.
One can name this the primary chapter in a story nonetheless being authored, however Joe Giulietti actually is creating a web page turner.
The Irmo, South Carolina Little Leaguer already had established himself as considered one of his league’s all-time greats earlier than his group captured a Southeast championship and reached the Little League World Series. Once right here, he has placed on a present which can properly preserve folks speaking lengthy after he has returned house.
Irmo’s spectacular run continued Tuesday when Giulietti went 2 for 3 with a double as Irmo defeated Hawaii, 3-0 and reached Wednesday’s night time’s U.S. semifinal towards South Dakota, which ended after press time.
Giulietti has placed on fairly a present whereas right here. He has not allowed a hit in two pitching begins, whereas going 4 for 7 with a grand slam, two doubles, 4 RBIs and two runs.
And now the world has discovered simply how marvelous this participant is. He is nowhere close to a completed product, however Giulietti is laying fairly a basis to construct future success upon.
“I think we all know that Joe is special,” Irmo supervisor Dave Bogan mentioned. “He’s one of our two or three leaders on the field. That’s the thing about Joe. It’s not just his skills which are impressive. He’s a leader on the field, too.”
Giulietti led Irmo to historical past this summer season, serving to it seize its first regional championship and make its first Series look. Along the best way, he usually left opposing groups and coaches in awe.
That included on the Series. Giulietti excelled in all sides and was particularly dominant on the mound. Standing close to 6-feet and throwing within the mid-70s, Giulietti didn’t permit a hit or run in 9 1/3 masterful innings pitched. He shutdown each Massachusetts and Nevada, putting out 20 as properly. Nevada received 1-0 in seven innings, scoring after Giulietti reached his pitch restrict, however the right-hander was almost excellent, permitting simply a first inning stroll and retiring the ultimate 17 batters he confronted.
All this towards a group which had scored at the very least 5 runs in its 13 earlier video games performed this summer season.
“I cannot give enough praise to Joe Giulietti,” Nevada supervisor TJ Fechser mentioned. “For me, he’s one of the greatest pitchers I’ve seen in youth baseball.”
It’s not simply that Giulietti throws laborious. He can also buckle the knees with off-speed pitches and brilliantly locates these pitches. Add in poise and a fierce aggressive drive and one has a pitcher who actually was unhittable on the Series.
“He was great. He threw about 10 innings and didn’t allow a hit,” Bogan mentioned. “That goes to show what a talent he is.”
That extends to the plate the place Giulietti turned one of many nation’s most feared hitters this summer season. The numbers inform one story, however what transpired on the Southeast Regional championship drives that house higher. Defending world champion Lake Mary, Florida held a three-run lead with two outs within the sixth inning and the bases had been loaded.
Rather than pitch to Giulietti, Florida deliberately walked him to convey house a run and put the successful runner on base. One might hardly blame Florida for making an attempt to make another person beat them both since Giulietti hit .636 at regionals with a house run, two doubles, three RBIs and 7 runs. But Brady Westbrooks made the technique backfire a batter later, smashing a walk-off three-run double as Giulietti confirmed off his blazing pace and sprinted house with the successful run as Irmo received, 5-4.
In his Series debut towards Massachusetts, Giulietti already had doubled and scored when he got here up within the third inning. Again the bases loaded, however Massachusetts pitched to him. Giulietti made that technique blow up when he launched a mammoth grand slam and broke the sport open, giving Irmo an 8-0 lead. It was the primary grand slam hit by a South Carolina participant in Series historical past, and highlights the dilemma Giulietti gives. It seemingly presents a no-win scenario.
“It felt amazing. I was able to stay within myself and not take my head off the ball,” Giulietti mentioned afterward. “I’m just trying to hit it hard somewhere.”
Giulietti has performed that every one yr. Well, just about he first began taking part in baseball. Playing in a baseball talent-laden state in a rugged area and towards the nation’s greatest groups, Giulietti has dazzled all through. He is a five-tool participant who can hit for energy however who additionally has the pace and the intelligence to show a single into a double like he did towards Hawaii.
In his subsequent at-bat, Giulietti once more hustled, this time sprinting out of the field and beating out an infield single hit on the shortstop on the outfield grass the place he had been taking part in to respect his energy. When Westbrooks singled to left discipline a batter later, Giulietti by no means broke stride, in some way making it from first to 3rd.
Giulietti is a participant pushed since final August, decided to not let historical past repeat itself. He was considered one of 9 Irmo gamers who competed as 11-year-olds on a state champion which went 0-2 at regionals, shedding two shut video games, together with towards Lake Mary. He wouldn’t let that occur this yr, excelling in all sides whereas going 1-0 with a 1.24 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings at regionals.
“The experience here is amazing. Last year I was like, ‘Man I wish I could be here. We wanted to be here last year, but didn’t quite make it. We lost to Lake Mary. I wanted to be there so bad to help the team.”
Giulietti has helped Irmo greater than he can think about. The manufacturing he generates is one factor, however the instance possible is equally highly effective. When teammates see a participant as gifted as Giulietti taking no brief cuts and placing in relentless work every day it may solely make them need to go simply as laborious.
So, whereas he’s hitting, pitching, fielding and hitting properly, Giulietti is also doing one thing equally highly effective–he’s making his teammates higher. Now, they’re one of many world’s greatest groups.
“The best thing about Joe in terms of baseball is he works hard,” Bogan mentioned. “You don’t have to ask him to do much. He’s hitting on the tees, doing arm exercises. He does all that stuff on his own because he likes it.”
Irmo positive likes having Giulietti taking part in there. If the longer term is as thrilling as the current, Giulietti will likely be ecstatic for fairly a very long time. Because it speaks volumes that Bogan has seen Pirates prospect Will Taylor, College of Charleston’s Kevin Semonsky and Troy University’s Caden Reeves play in Irmo and but nonetheless says Giulietti is healthier at this age than all three standouts had been.
“Those are three best I’ve seen come through Irmo LL and I’ve told people all along that Joe is better than all of three,” Bogan mentioned. “No offense to those players and that doesn’t mean Joe’s history is written. He has to continue to work but he’s definitely the best player I’ve seen come through Irmo Little League and I don’t think there a really a lot of people who would disagree with that.”
Neither would opponents who’ve watched Giulietti play this summer season.