by Vinny Messana
They didn’t necessary hit the ball all over the yard, but that’s not what they needed to do to win this game.
Floyd scraped across two runs in the fourth inning after the first two outs were retired thanks to RBI hits by Nikko Rodriguez and Mike DiGiovanni. In the fifth, they scored three runs on an error by the pitcher, wild pitch and suicide squeeze.
Head Coach Glenn Davis was pleased by his team’s ability to capitalize on mistakes and execute small ball.
“We were just gritty,” he said. “We were able to squeeze there, and the guy got it down on a high fastball that was over his head–and he’s a freshman. They did a good job trying to pitch out of it and our guy did a great job. Our kids battled, they were into it and we got after it. They’re a good team, they were in first place and we were able to take two of three.”
The freshman he was referring to was Nick LoMonaco who actually bunted a pitch out and was successful in his attempt to get the runner in. That was the defining moment for Floyd, who did all the little things right in this game–from defensive execution on a 1st & 3rd rundown to situational hitting.
They took a 1-0 lead off Longwood’s starter, C.J. Owens, on an RBI single by Hunter Kaucky in the first.
In the bottom of the first, the Lions threatened to tie it up when Antonio Scala started the inning with a double off Rob Brust. After a single by Sean Rausch moved him to third, they attempted a double steal but Floyd executed perfectly and gunned down Scala at the plate.
They increased the lead to 2-0 in the third when Mike Bradley drove in Rodriguez with an RBI groundout to the shortstop.
Longwood cut the lead in half in their half of the third on a sacrifice fly to left field by Cameron Alfano.
The fourth and fifth innings featured the most action.
Owens had a tough go of it. After retiring the first two batters, he allowed a walk followed by three consecutive singles, which led to two runs and a 3-1 Floyd lead.
They responded with two runs of their own in the fourth inning when a couple errors by Floyd let Andy Garcia and Jared Solero score the second and third runs for the Lions.
Floyd did their damage in the third on a wild pitch to score Marc Labroy, an error that scored Kaucky and the previously mentioned suicide squeeze by Lomonaco.
Owens was lifted after 4.2 IP, having allowed seven runs on eight hits, two walks while striking out three. He did display a very good change up, but the fourth and fifth innings really did him in.
The Lions did scrape across a run in the sixth inning to score pinch hitter Connor Kilcarr, but that was close as it would get.
Brust was able to finish what he started–despite allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks.
“He battled,” said David in regards to his starter. “He competed and that’s what I tell these guys, ‘you gotta compete, every step of the way, and whatever happens happens.’ He was great,” he added.
With the win, Floyd improves to 6-7 overall but will have a challenge next week in a tough three-game series.
“We’ve won three of the last four and got Commack next week, and they’re always good,” he said.
They will hope to build on this success after taking down a quality opponent in Longwood.
