A strong pitching performance combined with timely defensive plays helped push East Rockaway past Wheatley, 7-5.
The bats were in full swing for the Rocks on Thursday afternoon, pounding out 10 hits and seven runs. In the first inning they started the game off with a walk, an infield single, a double steal and an RBI groundout to go up 1-0.
They continued that momentum in the second, putting up three runs in the inning, two of them off the bat of Dylan Hensaw. Those runs helped extend the lead to 4-0.
Wheatley starter Francis Cappi struggled to find the zone all day, giving up six runs, four walks and one balk in just 3.1 innings.
The Wildcats battled back in the bottom of the third, plating two runs, one off the bat of Albany-commit Will Feil. Feil had a day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a walk, a double and one RBI.
With the Rocks clinging to a 4-2 lead in the fourth, they looked to extend. RBI singles from Stefano Cilluffo and Henshaw helped put them up 6-2. With a comfortable four-run lead, East Rockaway starter Dan DelValle started to settle in. In total, he pitched six innings, giving up four runs and striking out three. Though he was not perfect, he located crucial pitches and got himself out of jams in the third and sixth inning.
Head coach James Hickey was proud of his effort. “He just battled. Was mentally tough in situations. He was a game-time decision today and went out there and gave us 100 pitches. He just really stepped up and competed his butt off.”
In the sixth, Weatley was prime to make a comeback. A bases loaded two-run double from Matt Baltzer helped close the gap to 6-4. With the bases still loaded, pitcher Nick Papageorge stepped to the plate. With the count at 2-2, the runner at third led too far off the bag, resulting in a run-down situation with the third baseman and the catcher, and ultimately ending the inning and the threat of more runs.
On another note, Papageorge had a fantastic game on the mound and at the dish. He had a single, a run scored and threw 4.2 innings, striking out 8 in relief.
Wheatley would score one more run but it would prove to not be enough. The loss is the first for the Wildcats on the season, pushing them to 7-1.
