Robert Belotti on the 8-0 victory for Deer Park pic.twitter.com/TAD1UBZSsL
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 12, 2018
Having lost the previous three games, Robert Belotti knew his team needed him today. He took the challenge and ran with it–firing six strong innings against a strong Bellport team in Deer Park’s 8-0 shutout victory.
He was opposing Preseason All-Long Island Ryan Baumann and both pitchers danced in-and-out of trouble in the first few minutes. Belotti hit leadoff batter Anthony Jacabacci and allowed a hit to Baumann before stranding both runners in the first. He also walked two batters in the second inning but escaped unscathed.
Heallowed a single to Baumann in the third, but stranded him as well.
The Falcons broke through in the bottom of the fourth when Charles Rainone got things started with a single to right field and he moved to second on a single by Jimmy Calabrese. Pinch-hitter Ryan Caldea came through with a two-run single to right field to give the Falcons the 2-0 lead.
They broke it open in the fifth inning on RBI hits by Calabrese and Shane Hewlett plus a wild pitch to score Evan Mallon.
Belotti continued his Houdini-act, allowing back-to-back hits in the sixth but eluding any damage with consecutive flyouts to left field. The latter of which was a nice sliding catch by Tracey Johnson.
The game already out of reach, but the Falcons added three more runs in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Mallon and Anthony Fasano.
Calabrese and Fasano each went 3-for-4, as the Falcons look to keep pace in League V. They currently trail Hills West (6-0) and Eastport-South Manor (4-2).
