Gianni Macchio walks it off with a 2RBI double and Mepham eliminates Wantagh!!!!!!
FINAL: Mepham 3 Wantagh 2
WP: Tyler O’Neill (CG)
Gianni Macchio: Walk off pic.twitter.com/KWbKBq1QJ9— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 14, 2019
There is nothing quite like the atmosphere of a win-or-go home playoff game. In any given sport, emotions are always at their peak and anything can happen. Sure enough, this ballgame lived up to the hype.
In a game for the ages, Mepham knocked off the three-time defending Long Island Champion Wantagh Warriors on a two strike, walk off 2 RBI double courtesy of Gianni Macchio.
Heading into Monday, nobody predicted this outcome. Considering the fact Wantagh was sending their ace, Mason McLane, to the mound, it seemed even more unlikely.
Tyler O’Neill got the start for Mepham, and he did everything in his power to keep Mepham in the ballgame. He finished the game going the distance on the mound allowing four hits, two walks, one earned run and struck out nine.
Early on in the game, Mepham was making mistakes that easily could’ve cost them the game. For example, Wantagh jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd inninng. This run was recorded as an unearned run.
Down by a run in the bottom of the 3rd, Mepham made a costly base running mistake with two runners in scoring position to keep Wantagh in front. After this half inning, momentum seemed to be on Wantagh’s side.
Ricky Russo capitalized on the opportunity in the top of the 4th inning, delivering an RBI single and giving Wantagh a two-run cushion. Kenny Franquiz cut the deficit to one for Mepham with an RBI single up the middle.
Heading into the late innings of this ballgame, it was evident Mepham wasn’t going down without a fight. With the Wantagh bats going cold, this was their perfect opportunity to take advantage.
In the bottom of the 6th inning, McLane found himself in a two-out jam with runners on 1st and 3rd. With two strikes, the runner on 1st attempted an early steal of 2nd. McLane didn’t buy into the early steal attempt, as he let the runner take 2nd base. The next pitch, he fanned the batter and walked off the mound with a boatload of confidence.
Then came the 7th inning.
After a quiet top half of the inning from Wantagh, they needed just three outs to escape with the victory. Considering the first two men of the inning got on base, this wasn’t an easy task.
Enter Gianni Macchio.
Facing a 2-2 count with men on 1st and 2nd, Macchio saw a high fastball and drove it into the left center field gap. In the blink of an eye, the tying run, followed by the winning run crossed the plate and Mepham defeated Wantagh in walk off fashion.
“Great game, 3-2 game, I wouldn’t expect anything more from our team we battled back. Wantagh’s a great team three Long Island Championships in a row but we come back and beat them,” said Macchio. “Words can’t describe how happy I am right now, with two strikes on me I was just trying to relax and see a pitch, he threw me a high fastball and I just went with it in the gap,” he added.
With the victory, Mepham is tasked with playing the #2 seeded Clarke Rams in the next round. They will have momentum on their side for sure.
