Nassau Class A Playoffs Final:
Clarke 8
Bethpage 1 pic.twitter.com/9S4enxHppj— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 18, 2018
Clarke defeated Bethpage, 8-1, in the Nassau Class A playoffs behind the stellar pitching performance of Chris Lydon.
Lydon was touched up in the first game of the tournament in a relief effort but was able to bounce back in fine fashion, throwing a complete game one-run outing when the Reds needed it most.
Head Coach Tom Abruscato was impressed with how well he commanded his pitches. “He’s an all star player. Doesn’t throw hard but three pitches he throws strikes with. He can throw a changeup in a fastball count, and a curveball in any count. When you do that, you can be successful at any level.”
Lydon was given a nice cushion early, as Clarke powered home five runs in the first inning to jump on Bethpage. After the bases loaded, Chris Giardino scored on a walk to Mike Rodriguez. A Matt Rubenstein sac fly made it 2-0 in the next at bat.
The next batter would be Jimmy Aspenleiter. He would crank a two-run double over the left fielder’s head to give Clarke the 4-0 lead. The Reds were not done. A steal from Aspenleiter would be followed up by an RBI single from left fielder Derek Smith. Dylan Tueschler’s day would be done, as he handed the ball to Mike Mkrtichian down five runs.
Bethpage looked to make a comeback in the next inning. With one out, shortstop Brian O’Boyle blasted a homerun to deep left field, cutting the lead to 5-1. Richie Gennaro reached on an error in the next at bat. Max Vera would line a single into right field, giving right fielder Tyler Cox enough time to gun down Gennaro trying to go first to third.
After that Lydon would continue to cruise. From the third inning on, he would give up no runs and just three hits.
Lydon would get more help in the bottom of the third. On a sinking fastball, Derek Smith clobbered a two-run homerun to straight away centerfield, giving the Reds a comfortable 7-1 lead. One inning later Mike Rodriguez would go yard, crushing a solo shot to left center, clearing both the 343 feet sign and the fence.
Up 8-1, Lydon continued to work, mixing up fastball, changeup and curveball to each batter. In the final frame he would give up a leadoff double, but then follow it up by striking out the side.
Clarke’s next test comes tomorrow, where they will square off against a tough Garden City squad that made it to the Class A finals last season.
