Final: Nassau 5, Suffolk 1 (8 innings) pic.twitter.com/gHUKEbUL2W
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 22, 2019
After six innings of squandered opportunities, Nassau broke through in a big way in the seventh inning.
T.J. Toscano got things started with an infield single and Mike Iacobellis sacrificed him into scoring position. A walk brought up Tucker Hahn, a big slugger who smoked one into the right-center field alley for an RBI double to tie up the game. Starting pitcher, Conor Jacoby, came up next and crushed a HR to break the tie and give Nassau a lead that they would not relinquish. An unusual call took one of the runs off the board, when Suffolk appealed that one of the runners failed to touch home plate and the umpire confirmed that was the case.
Nevertheless, the damage was done. They added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend the lead. The game was called due to darkness after eight inning, and the Lions tied up the series at one game apiece. The two teams will finish off the series with a double header tomorrow at Mitchell Field beginning at noon.
The game took a couple turns.
Suffolk had gotten out to an early 1-0 lead on an RBI double by Jake Ford to score Chris Amato in the second inning.
Suffolk start Ciaran McGinnis was able to escape a jam with two runners on in the second inning, again in the third and bases loaded in the fourth. Nassau actually appeared to have taken the lead when two runners scored on what initially was ruled a wild pitch, but later deemed to hit the batter which took both runs off the board.
Kenny Holleday came on in the fifth and worked in-and-out of trouble as well. He walked two batters but struck out two to escape the jam. He also hit two batters in the sixth inning, but worked around it with two strikeouts and an infield popout.
Finally, Nassau’s luck turned in the seventh inning with the big rally.
Jacoby showed plenty of resiliency in braving the wind conditions which made it very difficult for pitchers to grip the baseball, he also was the difference in the game with the home run.
