Some of the best High School seniors on Long Island competed in the Blue Chip Challenge on Friday night in a Nassau versus Suffolk County All Star Game.
In a night where the best Suffolk and Nassau Seniors on the Island played in a nine-inning exhibition, it was the Nassau squad who came out victorious in a close 5-4 win.
Suffolk got the scoring started early as they took the lead in the top of the first inning on a Will Shaw sacrifice fly to bring in Jake Guercio. Guercio started the game with a scorching double into the right centerfield gap.
Suffolk later tacked on a second run in the top of the third inning before Nassau could get on the board at all. A wild pitch allowed Guercio to score for the second time after he reached base with a single.
Finally, in the bottom of the third inning Nassau answered and got on the board. A single by Ryan Saltzman and an error allowed for two runners to get on the bases. A sacrifice fly from Jack Stolper plated Saltzman for the first run of the game for Nassau and the next batter, Jason Bottari, hit a sacrifice fly to score Anthony Carleo and tie the game at two apiece.
Suffolk quickly responded as they grabbed the lead right back in the top of the fourth inning as Jake Russo came around to score after he led off the inning with a single.
Our @DigmiNation player of the game is Nassau’s Mike Handal. pic.twitter.com/taI2R5RvWR
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 9, 2018
Each pitcher that was sent out for Nassau and Suffolk were throwing very well and a majority of them had good velocity with their fastball.
It took until the sixth inning for Nassau to tie the game again. An error allowed Carleo to reach base to start off the sixth and then he eventually came around to score.
The game was tied at three going into the bottom of the eighth when Mike Handal brought in the go ahead run to give Nassau the 1-run lead, and another run was able to score on the play due to a throwing error from the outfield which resulted in a 5-3 lead for Nassau.
In the top of the ninth, Suffolk tried to mount a comeback. They were able to inch closer by scoring one run in the inning but fell short as the tying run was standing on third base when a groundout ended the game giving Nassau the 5-4 win.
Mike Handal was awarded Nassau Player of the Game thanks in part to his game winning hit that plated two runs in the bottom of the eighth to give Nassau the lead and eventually the victory.
