[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBqLzvciA0I]
It wasn’t the championship game, but Old Westbury certainly exercised some demons against their rivals; Farmingdale State.with a 2-1 win.
Starter Tim Ingram threw a gutsy complete game, allowing one run on seven hits, one walk and eight strikeouts in front of a bevy of Major League scouting directors. He threw 125 pitches and there was never even a reliever warming up in the bullpen.
“I knew coming into the game that Farmingdale wasn’t going to be an easy team to play in the first round but I looked forward to it,” said Ingram. “They were a good team all around and hit the balll but we just had a few big hits at the right times and played great defense all game. I think we have what it takes to win the championship this year,” he added.
Ingram received all the offensive production he would need in the third inning on a two-run double by Jonathan Pagan over the left fielder’s head to score Dean Sheridan and Michael Cardino.
The Rams rallied in the sixth inning when they had runners at the corners and one out for Mike Marino. He lined a single between first and second base with the runner in motion. It scored the Rams’ only run and put runners back on the corners with one out. Ingram escaped the jam with a ground out to the first baseman and a strikeout of P.J. Harrington.
In the seventh, the Rams got a one-out single from Nick Osburn and sacrificed him to second with two outs but failed to score when pinch hitter Anthony McQuade grounded out to second.
Ingram went back out for the ninth over 100 pitches, but it was not even a question whether he would get the chance to finish the deal. He struck out cleanup hitter Dalton McCarthy on three pitches as well as pinch hitter Christopher Reilly. He induced a ground out from the last batter for his seventh win of the season.
The Panthers explosive offense did not do much today. They mustered only three hits, and none of those came after the fourth inning.
Farmingdale starter Kevin Cashman was tagged with his third loss of the season. He allowed two runs in 3.1 innings, he walked four but was squeezed by the umpire on two of those walks. He was relieved by Matt Seelinger, who was terrific–3.1 shutout innings with eight strikeouts.
Old Westbury will take on St. Joseph’s at 10 am with the winner moving onto the Championship game on Sunday morning.
The Panthers have now won 12 consecutive games, spanning back to April 12.
Caleb Olsen and Josh Outsen are expected to be the starters.
