by Vinny Messana
It was the type of performance that gets people talking about you.
Oceanside‘s ace, Kyle Martin–who will be headed to Fordham in the fall, put together a legendary pitching performance in a game against a perennial powerhouse in Massapequa. The sailors won 1-0 in eight innings.
“I was preparing for this game all day,” he said. “I have off the last four periods of my school day so I went home and got focused,” he said.
He focused enough to pitch a complete game (eighth innings) with 15 strikeouts, allowing only three hits and walking three batters. The biggest test was in the third inning when the Chiefs loaded the bases with 0 outs and the middle of the order due up in a 0-0 game. He beared down and struck out the next three batters using his high-octane fastball and wipeout slider.
He settled in after that, but his counterpoint, Paul Sirakowski was matching him pitch for pitch.
After the second inning, Sirakowski hit his stride and retired 12 batters in a row between the third and seventh innings.
In the eighth inning, the Sailors mounted a rally when McFall drew a one-out walk. He stole second base and advanced to third on a groundout to shortstop. The leadoff batter, Nick Vlahakis, hit one between third and shortstop, that he legged out for an infield hit that drove in the game’s lone run.
“My arm was a little sore after the seventh inning but after we got that run, there was no way I was coming out.”
He ended up throwing 118 pitches, and showed an incredible amount of intestinal fortitude eluding trouble when he put runners on base.
He coach, Mike Postillo, has grown accustomed to this type of dominance from his ace who won seven games in 2015.
“Pitch count is one thing, but when you have a kid working as hard a him , what’s another 15 pitches,” he said.
Postillo was quick to compliment the performance of Sirakowski as well noting he did a tremendous job.
It was the type of game that would generate buzz for a player, but when you are heading to Fordham, it’s just another story to add to his career accomplishments.
