Woolley Keys Notre Dame Upset of Alemany, 9-2

A home run on the first pitch of the game sends an abrupt airmail message-- Yo, fellows, let’s get serious.

Notre Dame High’s Brian Woolley drove Brian Rosselli’s first pitch over the left-field fence Friday at Alemany High. And, sure enough, the home run triggered an 11-hit explosion as Notre Dame upset Alemany, 9-2, in the Del Rey League opening game for each team.

“I had heard a lot about Rosselli, and when Woolley took him deep we all relaxed,” Notre Dame Coach Bob Mandeville said. “It sure set the tone.”

Woolley also doubled twice, scored three times and drove in three runs. The senior shortstop, who was only 2 for 13 in four nonleague games, helped give right-hander Tim DeGrasse the cushion he needed to pitch a complete game.

“It’s a lot easier to pitch with a lead,” DeGrasse said. “I got more relaxed as the game wore on.”

DeGrasse, a senior, pulled headphones off before he spoke. Listening to vintage rock ‘n’ roll is nearly as relaxing for DeGrasse as watching rockets fly off the bats of his teammates.

“On the bus and sometimes between innings I listen to music,” he said. “It’s important to my concentration.”

The selection Friday was the 1969 rock opera “Tommy,” by The Who. Maybe he borrowed it from his parents’ collection.

“I like the old stuff,” said DeGrasse as he slipped the headphones back on.

Alemany (5-2), ranked No. 3 in the Valley by The Times, didn’t like any of DeGrasse’s stuff. The Indians managed only five hits. Greg Biley had two doubles and Darrell Zavatsky hit a solo home run, but Alemany squandered its best opportunity.

Trailing, 3-2, in the fifth, Alemany loaded the bases with nobody out. DeGrasse, however, got Mike Rooney to pop to the catcher, struck out Randy Thompson on three pitches and retired Joe Cupo on a ground ball to Woolley.

“We didn’t make our own breaks,” Alemany Coach Jim Ozella said. “We didn’t show any character when we needed to. That inning stunk.”

The Knights promptly said goodnight to Alemany with four runs in the sixth. A single by Chad Ratliff and consecutive doubles by Woolley and Greg Haptor off Rosselli’s successor, Brian Malone, knocked home the runs. Notre Dame (3-2) added two more in the seventh off two more Alemany pitchers.

“This was a good way to start,” Mandeville said, “on the road against a team picked to win the league.”

It was also a good way to begin a coaching career.

Mandeville is in his first year after bouncing around the Chicago Cubs’ minor-league system the past three years. He and his assistant coach, Neal Berry, played shortstop and third base, respectively, at Notre Dame in 1979 and 1980.