by Vinny Messana
It doesn’t matter how many people are in attendance–to these two teams, this is as big as it gets.
“I call it the Army-Navy game,” said Suffolk’s long-time Head Coach Eric Brown. “This is Duke-North Carolina. They’ve got very good coaching, very good players, so the next time we play the scores might be reversed,” he added.
Game One of the four-game set went to the Sharks by the score of 12-2. The weather certainly played a factor as both pitchers struggled with their control as the wind whipped around the field.
Brown was pleased with his team’s approach, who forced Nassau starter, Tom DiGiorgi, to walk five batters and hit a batter in the second inning before his catcher Eloy Benson broke the game open with a two-run single.
Right fielder, Tom Bashen, had two doubles, two walks and scored three runs.
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“We’ve been very disciplined at the plate,” he said. “We kind of lose focus every now and then, but for the most part I think we can swing it a little bit.”
That last part is a serious understatement, as the Sharks came into the game with a .325 team average and an unbelievable .432 OBP. They were averaging 9 runs per game, and actually added to those figures today with a 12 spot on 11 hits.
The damage came in only six innings, too, as the 10-run mercy was enforced after Jason Conti‘s sac fly drove in the 11th run and the 12th came around to score when the throw was mishandled by the catcher.
Rob Sciarotta battled through control issues to complete six innings, while limiting Nassau to only two runs. He walked six and struck out two. He avoided major damage when he loaded the bases with 0 out in the first inning. The Sharks had begun to get the bullpen going, but the starter found his command and allowed only a sacrifice fly, despite throwing 22 pitches.
He breezed through the next four innings, allowing only one hit. He ran into trouble in the sixth but induced an infield popout and a ground out to second to escape another bases loaded jam.
“He’s just a battler. He’s been great for us this year–one of our captains,” said Brown. “He’s a leader, he just battled through it. He did what he had to do and made big pitches.”
With the victory, the Sharks improve to 7-2 on the season. The two teams will play three more games in the series.
