For the third time this season, the Westhampton Aviators scored over 10 runs in a single inning as they put a 12 spot on the Sag Harbor Whalers in the bottom of the seventh, resulting in a 12-2 mercy victory. The Aviators head into the All Star break at 21-10-1 tied with Riverhead for first place. The Whalers, now 16-15, have fallen to fourth place.
Gabe Karslo of Fordham got the start for the Westhampton Aviators. He gave up two runs on five hits, striking out five batters in four innings of work. He began the game with two straight punch outs before walking Sag Harbor shortstop Brock Franks (Northwest Florida State). Karslo induced a groundball to the next batter to get out of the first inning.
Southpaw Duke Jordan of LSU Eunice took the mound in the bottom of the first inning for Sag Harbor. Jordan was on the losing end after throwing six innings, giving up six runs, three earned, on four hits. All of the runs came in the top of the seventh. Jordan retired the first 12 batters he faced, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning.
With the game still scoreless in the top of the third, Franks reached on a two out single for Sag Harbor. Clean up hitting First Baseman Ramon Jimenez of Boston College then deposited an 0-1 fastball over the right center field wall for his second home run of the season, giving the Whalers a 2-0 lead in the third.
Sag Harbor threatened again in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, designated hitter Matt Woods (Bryant) singled, and advanced to second on a four pitch walk to catcher Matt Stone of Georgetown. McDaniel college Second Baseman Will Strauss followed it up with a single to left to load the bases, still with one out. Left fielder John Lopez (St Mary’s College of California) stepped to the plate and hit a groundball to Aviators Second Baseman David Franchi (NYIT). Franchi got the first out at second, and the batter Lopez was ruled out when Strauss slid dangerously into second base, resulting in a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning that kept the Whalers off the board.
Whalers’ starter Duke Jordan took his dominant start into the bottom of the fifth inning, yet to allow a baserunner. Aviators catcher Landon Gray of the University of Tennessee lead off with a double to the right field wall for Westhampton’s first hit of the game. He advanced to second on a walk to Left fielder Jason Bottari of Albany. Jordan came back to strike out designated hitter Sean O’Keefe (Western Michigan). Gray attempted to steal third but was thrown out by Sag Harbor catcher Matt Stone. Jordan induced a fly ball to the second baseman to end the fifth inning, with the Whalers 2-0 lead intact.
Kyle Johnson of Stony Brook was called to the mound for the Aviators to begin the top of the sixth inning. In Johnson’s two innings of work, he struck out two, and gave up only one hit.
Westhampton Shortstop Eric Callahan of Millersville began the bottom of the seventh with a single to right off of Jordan, just the second hit for Westhampton. Third baseman Bailey Peterson (Michigan State) then roped a line drive over the left field wall for his fourth home run of the season, to tie the game at 2. Landon Gray followed it up with his second double of the game. Bottari reached on a throwing error by Sag Harbor Third Baseman Lucas Stalman (Boston College) resulting in runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the seventh. O’Keefe was intentionally walked to load the bases, before Joe Stewart of Michigan State hit a groundball to first, off of the glove of Sag Harbor’s Ramon Jimenez, giving Westhampton a 3-2 lead. That ended the game for Duke Jordan, and he was then relieved by Scott Rothschild of the University of Chicago. Chaney Dodge (Northwestern State) pinch hit for Frankie Gomez (Hofstra) and drove in Bottari on a sacrifice fly to left putting the Aviators up 4-2. David Franchi walked to load the bases, before his older brother Dan would step to the plate. Dan Franchi doubled off the base of the left field wall scoring two more runs for Westhampton, 6-2. Callahan singled for the second time in the inning, putting Westhampton up 7-2, before Peterson homered for the second time in the inning to put Westhampton up 10-2 with just one out. Rothschild walked Gray, ending his outing. He finished a third of an inning giving up five runs, three hits, and two walks. He was relieved by Jose De La Cruz (Manhattan College). De La Cruz got Bottari to fly out to right, before Sean O’Keefe hit his fifth home run of the season, a two run shot to left to cap the 12 run inning, putting the mercy rule into effect. Kyle Johnson was the winning pitcher for Westhampton, while Duke Jordan received the loss for the Whalers.
The @WHAviators erupted for 12 runs in the 7th for the 12-2 mercy victory over the @SagHbrWhalers. @mattytredeuce spoke with Bailey Peterson after he hit 2 of 3 Aviator home runs in the inning, for 5 runs batted in. Tonight’s interview has been brought to you by @hamptoncoffee pic.twitter.com/Gir9JCB0vw
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 12, 2019
This was the third time this season that the Westhampton Aviators scored 10 or more runs in a single inning. Bailey Peterson is the second Aviator to homer twice in the same inning this season. Joe Stewart reached the feat in Westhampton’s 22-3 victory over North Fork two weeks ago.
The Hamptons League All Star game is set for Saturday at 6:30pm at Jean Cochran Park, home of the Ospreys. Sag Harbor and Westhampton will be back in action on Sunday. The Whalers will host the Southampton Breakers after the break at 5pm on Sunday, while Westhampton will visit Shelter Island at 5.
