Reis Henderson wins it for Hills East with a walk-off single to score Nick Gavilla ! pic.twitter.com/yyZVfPV9MN
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 29, 2019
When you go 10 years between playing each other, it’s hard to call it a rivalry. When you are neighboring schools, though, this is anything but just another game. There’s bragging rights on the line.
Hills East sent the home faithful home happy with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Hills West on a walk-off RBI single by Reis Henderson.
Reis Henderson on the dramatic 4-3 victory over Hills West pic.twitter.com/v55r5JTzHv
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 29, 2019
By any measure, it was a fantastic baseball game between two disciplined and well-coached teams that are perennial playoff clubs.
Hills West took an early 1-0 lead on a wild pitch that scored Joe McDonald, who began the game off with a single to center and moved to third on a single by NYIT-commit Mike Draskin. Steve Mariani, starting pitcher for Hills East worked into trouble, but struck out Mike Freda to end the frame, allowing just the one run.
Hills West sent ace Aidan Tornquist to the hill. The Fordham-commit is coming off a tremendous 2018 season in which he went 6-1 with a 1.70 ERA. The southpaw came out of the game with some command issues, and he allowed two runs to score on wild pitches, which scored Adelphi-commit Nick Gavilla and Henderson.
That lead did not last long as West tied it right back up on an RBI single by McDonald to score Gianmarco Tocco.
Both pitchers settled down and the scored remained tied until the top of the sixth. With Tornquist drawing a leadoff walk and advancing on a wild pitch, Freda ripped an RBI double to left field to give West the 3-2 lead.
Jared Kubel came on in relief of Tornquist in the sixth and promptly retired the first two batters, but John Son launched a solo shot to left field to tie the game. It was clear that this game was headed for a terrific ending.
Henderson came on in the top of the seventh and worked a 1-2-3 inning, giving setting the stage for the bottom of the seventh.
Kubel went back out for the seventh and retired the first two batters again before Gavilla legged out an infield hit and Peter Huo walked to send him into scoring position. Henderson came through with the clutch hit to give Hills East the dramatic victory in their season opener.
