Suffolk defeats Nassau by a score of 11-2 to win the regional championship. pic.twitter.com/5hn4idy9wk
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 11, 2019
On a beautiful spring afternoon, the Nassau Community College Lions were taking on the Suffolk County Community College Sharks in the Region XV Championship game.
Southpaw Tyler Schmid took the mound for Suffolk, and immediately found himself in some trouble, walking the first two batters he faced. However, after a 6-6-3 double play, and a flyout to center, he was able to escape trouble.
Nassau starting pitcher, Patrick Denicola, had a relatively clean frame. After allowing a one out double to Christian Lent, he retired the next two batters to strand Lent at second.
All the runs that Suffolk would need were scored in the bottom of the second inning. A leadoff double from Andrew Fenton got things started. Jacob Ford dropped down a bunt, a reached, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Ford then proceeded to put himself in scoring position, stealing second base.
With two runners in scoring position, Denicola was able to strike out Robert Rodriguez. However, Rodriguez reached base on a dropped third strike, thus loading the bases with no outs. Peter Baratta drove in the first run of the game on a line drive single to center field. Corey Tingo then hit a ground ball to the third baseman who elected to try to get the out at home. However, the runner was safe, and Suffolk’s lead was now 2-0. A bases loaded walk later brought home the third and final run of the inning.
Nassau chipped away at the lead in the top half of the third inning. After the first two batters were retired, John Capozzoli worked a two out walk. He then worked his way over to second base on a passed ball. A ground ball back to the mound looked to end the inning, but Schmid could not cleanly complete the play, allowing the batter to reach, and a run to score.
A great chance came for Nassau to further cut into the deficit in the top of the 4th inning as they had the bases loaded with just one out. However, Schmid was once again able to work out of trouble, striking out the next two batters.
Nassau threatened once more in the top of the 5th inning, putting two runners on base with two outs. However, Schmid worked his way out of trouble yet again, inducing a groundout to first base.
In the bottom of the 5th, Suffolk tacked on an additional run. Fenton poked a single to center, and then stole second base. Ford followed it up with a single to center of his own, extended the lead to 4-1.
Although Schmid was able to wiggle his way into and out of trouble several times throughout the game, he was unable to escape it in the top of the 6th inning. A walk and hit by pitch put two runners on with no outs. A sacrifice bunt then moved both runners to scoring position. Schmid struck out the next batter he faced, but that was the last out he would record, as he then walked Chris Morro to load the bases.
Dan Deckert entered the game, inheriting the bases loaded with two outs. After a long at bat, he walked John Capozzoli to bring in a run, cutting the lead to 4-2. He then got a flyout to center to escape any further trouble.
Deckert said that “it was a difficult situation, bases loaded two outs. I walked the first guy, but I didn’t lose my concentration, got the guy to pop up to center, and just locked down the rest of the three innings.”
The Sharks further padded their lead in the bottom of the seventh against Nassau reliever, Zach Lelonek, highlighted by a long double to right field by Nolan DeMelfi, driving in two runs to extend the lead to 8-2.
In the 8th inning, following a sacrifice fly by David Heller to make it a 9-2 game, Andrew Fenton capped off the scoring with a two run homer to bring the score to 11-2, which would stand for the remainder of the game.
Speaking about Deckert, Schmid said “I had nothing but confidence when he stepped in for me, I knew he was going to shut the door for us.” And shut the door he did, as Deckert closed out the game, ultimately not allowing a run in his 3 1/3 innings of work, as Suffolk would ultimately defeat Nassau by a score of 11-2.
They will advance to the Super Regionals, which will be played next Friday at Medford Complex.
