It has been three years since a team as dominant as Shoreham-Wading River has been in Suffolk Class A. That year, the Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms were in the midst of an undefeated 27-0 season led by stud LHP Jack Piekos. Those Phantoms will be hoping to curtail this locomotive that the Wildcats 2017 has become. They are riding an 18-game winning streak entering the day.
Their stats are pretty mind-boggling.
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They have hit 32 home runs on the season, led by Nick Manesis‘ eight, Brian Morrell is right behind him with seven and Dean Stalzer is on his heels with six. Morrell is leading the charge with 33 RBI, but Manesis has 29, Stalzer has 28 and Thomas Brady has 26. That is some serious production in a 23-game season.
On the mound, Morrell is leading the pack with a 9-0 record and 0.90 ERA with 77 Ks through 54 IP. Ryan Mullahey has quietly compiled a 6-0 record with a 0.94 ERA and Tyler Pepper is 4-1 with a 2.86 ERA.
Closer Alex Angerman has converted all four save opportunities with a 1.02 ERA and 21 K through 13.2 IP.
Bayport-Blue Point is the type of well-coached, disciplined team that could hang with them–especially with a solid pitcher like Josh Monturo on the mound–but they really will have their hands facing Morrell, who is on his way to a consecutive Carl Yastrzemski Award.
I believe SWR will win this game, and advance to the Long Island Championship. The fan in me would love to see him face Wantagh, opposed by Jimmy Joyce.
That is the only team capable of beating him. We have covered four of their games, they have a potent offense, led by Joyce, Anthony D’Onofrio, Trevor Fagan and Anthony Fontana. They can play small ball with guys like John Conroy and Charlie Interrante and that might be what it takes if it’s a low-scoring game.
That would be a classic game, we will worry about that if it gets here. For now, Bayport-Blue Point stands in the way of SWR’s pursuit of winning the Suffolk County championship.They have won four of five games, with their last loss coming to SWR on May 11.
