by Ethan Marshall
The Farmingdale Greendogs overpowered the Smithtown Bulls 9-4 at Pops Field. Collin McNamara allowed two runs in two innings and Brendan Russo threw four innings of two-run ball. The biggest star of the game was Nick Toto, who hit two inside-the-park home runs and recorded five RBI for the Greendogs.
According to Toto, he wouldn’t have been able to hit his second home run without a tip from his uncle in the middle of an at-bat. “My uncle said I was stepping out on a foul ball before [the second homer],” Toto said. “I feel really good about [the homers].”
According to Greendogs head coach Bill Cloghessy, his team played a smart game. “We really stayed in there, put the ball in play and made things happen,” Coach Cloghessy said. He also praised Toto’s hitting ability at the plate. “Nick looks locked in right now, driving the ball the other way right now too. He’s really sitting back and driving the ball.”
The Greendogs scored three runs four batters into the game, thanks to a Brendan Russo RBI ground out and a two-run homer by Toto. While Bulls starting pitcher Jayden Famighetti was able to work out of a bases loaded jam in the second, he did not escape the third inning unscathed. A two-run single by Mark Reo put the Greendogs up 5-0. However, the Bulls, helped out by some wild pitching from the Greendogs, were able to put a dent into the deficit in the bottom of the third.
After walking the bases loaded to begin the third, Collin McNamara was relieved by Brendan Russo. Russo also had control issues upon taking the mound, throwing a wild pitch that scored Nicholas Gentile from third before walking the next two batters and hitting another, cutting the Greendogs’ lead to 5-3. Luckily, Russo found the strike zone in time to get a fly out and strike out, leaving the bases loaded.
After Russo struck out the side in a 1-2-3 fourth inning, the Greendogs tacked on some insurance runs in the fifth inning, thanks to a three-run homer by Nick Toto and a successful steal of home by Mark Reo after the Bulls catcher failed to throw out a runner stealing second.
While the Bulls managed to tack on a run in the sixth inning thanks to a two-out RBI single from Jesse Lishinsky, the Greendogs were alert enough to throw out the lead runner attempting to advance to third, ending the game.
Greendogs’ first baseman Nicholas Toto on his two homer, five RBI day: pic.twitter.com/uECGTqkEzu
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 30, 2019
In the end, it was Toto’ss bat and Russo’s arm that were pivotal in the Greendogs’ victory. It’s worth noting , however, that the entire team played fundamentally sound baseball at the plate, on the base paths and on the field, culminating in the final out recorded thanks to great fundamentals on their end.
