The Riverhead Tomcats stopped the red hot North Fork Ospreys in their tracks Tuesday evening, as Riverhead picked up a 9-3 victory at Veterans Memorial Park in Calverton.
Quinnipiac right hander Gabriel Romano got the start for Riverhead on the mound. The Ospreys struck first, plating two to begin the game. Centerfielder Joe Tardiff of Cortland led off the game with an infield single, and advanced to second on his 9th stolen base of the season. Drake Peggs (Eastern Michigan) walked followed by LSU Eunice Shortstop Javier Vaz’ bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Romano was able to record two outs on a strikeout and a fly ball, but walked Tyrese Claiborne (North Central Texas) and Anthony Fontana (Furman) to put North Fork up 2-0.
In the bottom half of the first, Plattsburgh’s Alec Fauvell took the mound for the Ospreys. Rob Gallagher of UMass Lowell lead off with a walk, and stole second for the Tomcats. He scored on Jason Coules’ (Fordham) double to cut the North Fork lead in half. Coules has now recorded a hit in all 12 games he has played this season, but he was caught stealing at third for the first out of the inning. Fauvell retired the next two batters to exit the first inning with North Fork’s 2-1 lead intact.
Romano bounced back in the second, retiring North Fork in order. In the bottom half of the second, with runners on first and second, nobody out, Riverhead designated hitter Jarred Greene (UC Santa Barbara) singled in Bryce Wallace (Louisiana Tech) to tie the game at two. The next two batters flew out, and then Gallagher singled to center but Andrew Hernandez (Penn) was cut down at the plate by left fielder Tyler White (Hofstra) to end the second inning.
Another scoreless half inning for Gabriel Romano put Riverhead in position to take the lead for the first time, in the bottom of the third. Coules led off with his second straight double, and advanced to third on a ground ball to short off the bat of Bryce Willets. Willets (St Mary’s) reached on a throwing error. Louis Antos (Queens) double with runners on the corners to give Riverhead the 3-2 lead. Bryce Wallace was then hit by a pitch, and that ended the night of Alec Fauvell. He finished two full innings giving up five runs, four earned. Justin Baeyens of St Thomas Aquinas came on in relief and gave up two singles, and a sacrifice fly before recording the final out of the inning. Two more runs came across for Riverhead as they took a 5-2 lead into the fourth inning.
Trailing for the first time all game, The Ospreys answered back to start the fourth. An Anthony Fontana single, and a pair of walks to Tyler Gilespy and Tyler White loaded the bases with one out, and ended Gabriel Romano’s night on the mound. He gave up three runs, on three hits in three and a third innings of work. Wesleyan University’s Coleton Reitan was called to the mound in a tough spot with the bases loaded, and only one out. Joe Tardiff grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring North Fork’s third run of the game. Reitan struck out Drake Peggs to end the inning, with only the one run coming across. Coleton Reitan went on to finish the game, and after Tardiff’s fielder’s choice, retired all 16 batters he faced for the remainder of the game, seven on strikes.
Riverhead scored one more run in the bottom of the fourth on a Bryce Wallace double, that scored Louis Antos after his second double. In the fifth, Rob Gallagher doubled down the right field line to score shortstop Isaiah Payton of Penn State, giving Riverhead a 7-3 lead.
In his fourth and final inning of work, North Fork’s Justin Baeyens kept Riverhead off the board, marking the first inning all game that the Tomcats did not score at least one run.
Bryant University’s Michael Randazzo pitched the seventh inning for North Fork. He gave up a hit to Markell Graham (East Tennessee State) and hit Payton with a pitch. Both runners scored on an error, pushing the Riverhead lead to 9-3. Around the two unearned runs, Randazzo recorded a pair of strikeouts to get out of the seventh inning. North Fork sent Anthony Porrino of Sacred Heart to the mound for the bottom of the eighth, and the only damage was Louis Antos’ leadoff single, that marked Antos’ third hit of the game.
An incredible outing on the mound from @RHTomcats reliever Coleton Reitan shuts the door on the @NForkOspreys as Riverhead wins 9-3. Reporter @mattytredeuce spoke with Coleton after he set down 16 straight, brought to you by @hamptoncoffee. @HamptonsLeague pic.twitter.com/s3hlz5TiVB
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 3, 2019
Coleton Reitan struck out the side, all looking, in the top of the ninth inning to seal the deal for the Riverhead Tomcats. Reitan was the winning pitcher, throwing five and two thirds of perfect relief, striking out seven. North Fork’s Alex Fauvell received the loss.
Riverhead, now 13-7-1, will hit the road to face the Southampton Breakers, Wednesday July 3rd, at 5pm. North Fork, now 9-17, will pay a visit to the Sag Harbor Whalers, with another 5pm scheduled first pitch.
