Shoreham-Wading River Takes Suffolk Class A Title For First Time Since 2012

by Julian Guevara

For the first time since 2012, Shoreham-Wading River is Suffolk County Class A champs. Led by their ace and MLB draft hopeful Brian Morrell, they took down Bayport-Blue Point 8-1 for their 20th consecutive win.

Morrell was a force to be reckoned with on the hill (complete game allowing one earned run, a couple of hits, four walks and 11 K’s) and at the plate where he set the down with a second inning grand slam, for his eighth HR of the season.

“This is what we have all been looking forward to–all the way back in January at winter workouts, I told the guys that this is the goal for the season,” said SWR head coach Kevin Willi. “We took it game-by-game in the playoffs and really put ourselves in good position to win.”

SWR was on base often and early, which has been par for the course for them all season. Senior catcher Tom Brady, who jacked a two-run shot over the LCF wall after Morrell roped a one-out single, started the scoring for SWR in the first inning. In the second inning, seniors Alex Bettenhauser and TJ Sicoli both knocked base hits. Leadoff hitter and senior Kyle Baylous worked a tough walk to load the bases and that’s when Morrell took matters into his own hands and crushed a grand slam to put SWR up 6-0 early in the game.

It [the grand slam] was definitely a good thing for our team; it lead to a quick lead and it definitely was a good feeling.” Morrell said.

Despite jumping ahead to a big lead early on, BBP strung a couple two-out hits together with a wild pitch. Their seven and eight hitters, Piekos and Prismzano, made the score 6-1 in the bottom half of the second. After allowing that run, however, Morrell worked into a groove and retired the next 10 batters he faced in order. He struck out six of 10 in that stretch, but started off the sixth inning by walking BBP batters 1-3 loading the bases with an 8-1 lead late in the game.

“Our team has been scoring runs early in games, and the playoffs especially, and it has really given us an advantage,” Willi said. “And after that we still keep the pressure on, still scoring runs and threatening every inning, and it’s really tough for a team to come back knowing that we get guys on base all the time.”

The Wildcats did just that, as they had a man on base in all seven innings, and after jumping ahead 6-0, they tacked on two more for insurance in the fourth and fifth innings. Morrell finished the day at the plate with video game numbers going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, two runs and four RBI. Sicoli also had himself a day at the plate finishing 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and a fielder’s choice.

“This senior class has definitely worked hard right from winter work outs and every one of us has had each others backs,” Morrell said. “Going in to this game we wanted to win, so we played hard and showed it on the field and the score really showed who the better team was today.”

SWR capped off an impressive season extending their winning streak to 20 games and defeating a familiar opponent in the BBP Phantoms. They are set to take on the winner of the Garden City -Wantagh series one week from tomorrow. They will have Morrell on the mound, who will look to continue his fairy-tale season and improve to 11-0.