This week the stage is set for the Suffolk County Class AA semifinals. Due to the suspended game on Friday between No. 2 Ward Melville-No. 9 Smithtown East, they will play tomorrow (weather pending) for the chance to play No. 4 West Islip on Tuesday in the first game of a best-of-three series. Also on Tuesday, No. 2 Commack will square off with No. 13 Pat-Med.
Ward Melville vs Smithtown East:
What to Expect:
These teams have met twice so far, with Smithtown East winning last Wednesday, while Ward Melville won Friday/Saturday’s suspended game.
Ward Melville will most likely throw ace Ben Brown, who has been tremendous all season, and Smithtown East will either throw Doug Goodwin or Nick Harvey. Both teams are well-disciplined, play great defense and can win close games. Ward Melville has done a great job of playing with their backs against the wall after losing last week. That is a testament to their pitching depth and lineup composition.
The Patriots rely on a balanced offense led by Joe Rosselli, Max Nielsen, Logan Doran, Michael Sepe, among others while Smithtown East is more of a small-ball team but they have a couple big bats in Michael Ruggiero and Andrew Canino.
It’s one game and anything can happen, but I like the Patriots’ chances on their home-field with their ace on the mound.
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West Islip:
It’s truly amazing how they were able to weather the loss of Fordham-commit Jake Guercio and then an injury scare to ace Kyle O’Neill and continue to churn out wins. They survived a scare from Deer Park last week to win 10-9 and then beat them again 4-1 behind Tom Gatto.
They have been led by the offense of Greg Tsouprakos and Joe Valentino, plus contributions from Kyle O’Neill, Brandon Isolano, Tom Parson and others. They are well-coached and obviously have the experience from last year’s Long Island championship.
Commack vs Pat-Med:
What to Expect:
The Raiders are playing with house money having already knocked off heavily-favored Hills East twice and No. 6 Bellport. They have their ace, Josh Rovner, lined up for Game 1 who is pitching as well as anybody left in the postseason. They also have showed great plate discipline against some top pitchers in Patch Dooley and Matt Hogan. They have an elite player in Brad Malm, a very underrated second baseman in Andrew Ciufo, an emerging bat in sophomore Tyler Miller, a stellar center fielder in Vito Morabito and a field general in catcher Daniel Codispoti. Can they stay hot and get by on grit and passion?
It’s very possible, but Commack is a tough customer.
They were my pre-season favorite to win it all. They held off an inspired Kings Park team on Tuesday and a very well-coached team in Hauppauge on Wednesday and Friday. They won the three games by a combined four runs, so it hasn’t been a cake walk, but they are talented enough that they can survive even on their off days.
Here’s why I picked them to win it all before the season: pitching, pitching, pitching.
They have plenty of it, and they play a stellar defense behind them. They are sound up the middle with Anthony Lambroia behind the plate, a double-play duo of Jake Jacobs and Andrew Chidester and an elite center fielder in Peter Theodorellis. They also have the pop with right fielder Tim McHugh and left fielder Jason Salerno. They have no holes on their team and it will take a complete effort by Pat-Med to knock them off twice.
Anything is possible and I’ve certainly seen team’s ride a hot wave, as Northport did last year, to the finish line but it typically takes a duo like they had with Brian Herrmann and Nicholas Palmerini.
I predict a final of Commack-Ward Melville, the top two seeds with the most complete teams.
