Rays starting pitcher Michael Kondyra on his complete game performance: pic.twitter.com/eTphKPe45N
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 24, 2019
by Ethan Marshall
The Levittown Rays, led by starting pitcher Michael Kondyra, defeated the Smithtown Bulls 6-4 at MacLaren Senior Field.
Kondyra recorded just two strikeouts in the game and allowed two runs in the final inning before loading the bases, but stranded the tying run at second to finish the complete game.
“I just threw strikes and my outfield and infield made good plays,” Kondyra said of his performance. He didn’t allow a walk until the second-to-last batter of the game. According to Kondyra, fatigue began setting in for him in the sixth inning. “My arm was hurting at the end, but I just did the best I could.”
The Rays offense seemed to capitalize on just about every Bulls mistake, with half of their six runs being unearned. After a leadoff triple by Caiden Siegel and wild pitch on strike three brought the Rays’ first run home in the first inning, a single by Michael Kondyra turned into a two-base error when a throw to third ended up in the Bulls’ dugout, bringing home the Rays’ second run and Kondyra on third with nobody out. A sacrifice fly by Joe Faranda made it 3-0 Rays in the first.
The Bulls fought back, scoring two in the second on RBI groundouts from Michael DeRose and Connor Catania, scoring Andrew Carbonara and Nick Friscia. However, the Rays took advantage of two more Bull mistakes to score a run in the third inning. After Caiden Seigel reached on a throwing error to open the inning, he stole second and advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw from the pitcher. He ended up scoring on Joe Faranda’s two-out RBI single to make it 4-2 Rays.
The Rays added two more runs in the fourth inning on a walk by Matt Hartmann and single from Brayden Giannico, with another wild throw to third resulting in another two base error and forcing in another run. Caiden Siegel brought in Giannico with a RBI single.
With two outs in the sixth inning, the Bulls cut the deficit in half thanks to back-to-back RBI singles from Michael DeRose and Connor Catania. A walk by Nick Porrello loaded the bases for Bobby Eck. While Eck certainly made solid contact, he hit the ball right at the centerfielder, who made the catch to end the game.
According to Rays head coach Craig Siegel, Kondyra’s performance on the mound was one of his best of the season. “He battled back after a rough second inning and fought all the way to the end to close out the game,” Coach Siegel said.
Coach Siegel also emphasized how important it was for his time to capitalize on the Bulls, mistakes. “That’s what you got to do,” Coach Siegel said. “You play small ball and that’s what happens. We battled the entire game, took advantage of those mistakes and won it at the end.”
