First year Commack head coach Bryan Bonin was fired up with his team taking game one of the Suffolk County Class AA finals from West Islip. The first of a three game set was a classic pitcher’s duel in every sense of the term between WI senior Joe Valentino and Commack’s senior ace, Peter Theodorellis. West Islip scored one in the top half and Commack responded with two of their own to win it.
“That was just a tough win, we teach the guys all season long to just stick together and good things will happen; do what we practice, and it worked out for us today, we got one more to win.” said Bonin.
The intensity of this extra-inning game was felt throughout, as St. John The Baptist has one big section of bleachers forcing opposing fans to sit together. Theodorellis and Valentino both had impressive days on the mound going 8.2 and 8 innings, respectively. LIU Post commit-Valentino finished with 8 K’s, 2 hits and 3 walks and was replaced by Felician College-commit Kyle O’Neill in the ninth; O’Neil was tagged with the loss after the heart of Commack’s lineup strung together a couple hits and a walk in the bottom of the ninth.
“I just have the greatest group of kids in the world, they listen to everything we have to say to them and they try as hard as they can every day.” Bonin said.
The intensity increased in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings as both teams did everything they could to get base runners. Both teams did get men on base in the final three innings to keep pressure on the dominant pitchers. Ultimately, Commack pulled off a comeback against hard throwing O’Neill after he struck out the leadoff batter of the ninth. Jason Salerno then redeemed himself with a one-out single after over sliding second base in the seventh on a steal attempt with no out. Jake Jacobs followed by working a tough walk to set the stage for sophomore Tim McHugh to smoke a single and bring in a run and tie the game with one out in the ninth. Sophomore and winning pitcher Jake Krzemienski followed McHugh’s RBI base hit with one of his own to take the first game of the Class AA Suffolk County Championship.
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“This just quickly changed momentum of the series, but the job is not done and these guys know that,” Bonin said. “This is not our goal [to win one game in the championship] the goal is to win it all, so we’re going to come out as hard as we can tomorrow and try to end it there.”
Farleigh Dickinson commit-Theodorellis brought his A-game and worked into a massive groove retiring 18 batters in a row after allowing a one-out single in the first inning. O’Neill broke this impressive streak with a single in the seventh, where he was left stranded on third. He came out to work in the ninth but walked the leadoff batter and he stole second on the first pitch to O’Neill, fortunately for Theodorellis a failed bunt play left the runner in no man’s land and he was picked off. After throwing a ground out to O’Neill, Greg Tsouprakos knocked Theodorellis out with a double; he finished the day with 7 K’s, 3 hits and 2 walks. Valentino then helped himself out knocking a RBI go-ahead single.
West Islip will look to force a game three tomorrow on their home turf. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
