Joey Rosselli spoke with Justin Paura following the Road Warriors victory over the North Fork Ospreys pic.twitter.com/ULHXfdTxYf
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 5, 2018
The Long Island Road Warriors (2-0) are the newest addition to the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League. They joined the HCBL last year to replace the Montauk Mustangs as the team with the most local players and made an immediate impact, winning the league championship in their inaugural season. This year, coach Neal Heaton’s squad looks in top form to defend its title. After putting up nine runs on the Riverhead Tomcats to win their opener on Sunday, the Road Warriors picked up a 7-4 in their first home contest against the North Fork Ospreys (0-2).
Long Island didn’t look like a championship team in the early going. JC Santini took starting pitcher Max Steele about fifty feet over the left field fence in the bottom of the first to give North Fork a 3-0 lead. On the other side of that inning, Patrick Lagravinese started the inning with a strong single, but Jarred DeLarso picked him off at first and retired the rest of the side.
The Road Warriors began to chip away in the bottom of the second. Peter Theodorellis and Joe Rosselli each got on with two outs to keep the frame alive, then Thomas Brady singled to center field to bring home Theodorellis and cut the deficit to 3-1.
In the bottom of the third, Lagravinese made up for the mental mistake in the first by punishing a ball for a double after Cameron Tomaiko got to second to start off the inning. Lagravinese advanced to third on a throwing error, then Thomas Colombo hit into a fielder’s choice to bring him home and tie the ball game.
The score held at 3-3 going into the top of the fifth. Tyler White got on base to start the inning after forcing a walk and was able to steal second before Nolan Kessinger also drew a walk. With Claborne at the plate, White took off for third base. Brady’s throw was too short and Marcos Perivolaris couldn’t handle it. White proceeded to steal home and give the Ospreys 4-2 lead.
North Fork looked to be in the driver’s seat through the first five and a half innings. But in the bottom of the sixth, Long Island found its offensive rhythm. Ben McNeill, Perivolaris and Theodorellis all got on base, setting the stage for Rosselli. The sophomore from Monmouth delivered with a two-run single to give the Road Warriors their first lead of the evening. Cameron Fowler was so distraught after giving up the lead that his next pitch was five feet short of the plate and Theodorellis took advantage and stole home. Liam McDonnell replaced Fowler mid at-bat against Brady, then surrendered a single and another run scored for Long Island.
The four-run sixth inning was all that Long Island needed. Connor Clark, Matt Paghidas and Brandon LaManna combined for three and a third scoreless innings to silence the Ospreys and survive with a 7-4 victory. Our @DigmiNation player of the game is Joe Rosselli, who went 1-for-2 with the go-ahead two-run single to jump start the overwhelming sixth inning. The Road Warriors attempt to open the season 3-0 Tuesday against the Sag Harbor Whalers while North Fork goes for its first win against the Shelter Island Bucks.
