For the third time since 2014 West Islip captures the Suffolk County Class AA title ! pic.twitter.com/yc8SLZY0Dh
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 28, 2018
Two years ago, Shawn Rush was playing Kan Jam with his sophomore outfielder Jake Guercio following their victory over East Meadow in the Long Island Championship at a team barbecue.
“We were just crushing everyone and he said to me ‘this is fun let’s do it again in two years’!’ Coach Rush said recounting the memory. They moved one step closer to being able to play another game of Kan Jam and by playing in another Long Island Championship with their thrilling 3-1 victory over an exciting and dangerous Eastport-South Manor team.
Undefeated Ryan Foran had a no-hitter through four innings, but ran into big-time trouble in the sixth inning when he walked the first two batters, Tom Parson and Michael LaDonna, to bring up Sunday’s offensive hero, Anthony Cinquemani.
He does it again! Anthony Cinquemani with a 2-R double to left center field and West Islip has a 3-1 lead in the sixth pic.twitter.com/N6E7Udn7fl
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 28, 2018
The big first baseman crushed one into the left-center field alley way to score both runners and give West Islip the 3-1 lead over the previous unblemished Foran. It was the type of moment that has become routine for the Lions. They have become immune to pressure, almost relishing in the high-leverage situations that cause many players to shrink.
Not this group, who won their 21st consecutive game to improve their record to 25-2. It was their third Suffolk Class AA title since 2014, both times resulted in victories in the Long Island Champions (Massapequa in 2014, East Meadow in 2016).
In the bottom of the 7th inning, Michael LaDonna went back out to finish what he started and retired the first batter of the inning, but a walk to Trevor Zanderzuk and a HBP of Ryan Foran brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate in Angelo Montalbano. A wild pitch made things just a little more tense, but in classic Lions fashion the hard-throwing RHP reared back on a 3-2 count and blew one past Montalbano to capture the crown.
Rush noted that this Eastport team was scrappy and that they were every bit as tough of a team as they’ve faced since they began their run in 2014. They also were taken to the edge by Hills West in 2014, Northport in 2016 and were defeated by Commack last season. They will be the favorites next Saturday night in the LIC, facing a red-hot Massapequa team but one that does not have the dominant pitching to match Bobby DiCapua, Mike LaDonna or Anthony Cinquemani.
This game featured more action than most 3-1 games typically do.
Foran was a bit tense in the first inning; hitting Jake Guercio, walking Anthony Ippolito and allowing an RBI infield single by Tom Parson. He also walked LaDonna before bearing down and striking out Cinquemani on a nasty 1-2 curveball down in the zone and the same pitch against DiCapua following him.
The Sharks answered right back in the home half of the first on an RBI ground out by Kevin Shine to score Mike McCormick. It was the type of small ball needed if there’s any hope of beating West Islip. LaDonna wound up escaping further damage, but the Sharks were able to tie up the game and see 20 pitches in the process. LaDonna was consistently 83-84 MPH with his fastball.
Both pitchers settled into a rhythm showing why they were among the best pitchers on the island this season. They work around jams on a couple of occasions. LaDonna left two runners on in the third, forcing Foran into a ground out to end the inning. He also allowed three hits in the fourth inning, but benefited from a caught stealing at third that was the product of a missed sign by the base runner.
Foran gave up his first hit in the fifth inning on a double by Jack Alteri, but he didn’t allow him to advance any further as he coaxed three straight infield ground outs.
Again in the fifth, the Sharks got two runners on. McCormick led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sacrifice bunt. Shine struck out on a nasty curveball, Foran was intentionally walked to create a force at second and it paid off with an inning-ending ground out by Montalbano.
The sixth inning was the difference in the game. Foran clearly was beginning to tire as he walked to first two batters to face him in a rare case of his command eluding him. Cinquemani, atoning for his first inning punch out with the bases loaded, was not about to let this situation bypass him. He roped one into left-center field to score both runners. At that moment, you got the sense that was all LaDonna needed but the Sharks are not ones to wave the white flag.
They got another base runner in the sixth on a single by Anthony Simone but he was stranded there. In the seventh, they made a valiant effort to get to LaDonna but he just proved to be too tough to crack.
Rush was at a loss for words when trying to explain LaDonna’s toughness.
“Holy cow…holy cow…it was a fitting end to the game…those guys scrap,” he said.
With the victory, they will now have a few days to regroup and get their arms fully rested for Saturday’s showdown against their Nassau County counterpart Massapequa Chiefs.
