by Chris Sacchi
Just one day away from the Hamptons League All Star Game, a pair of teams sending several players took the Ferry into Shelter Island for Friday afternoon baseball.
The Riverhead Tomcats will be well represented with eight all stars, while the Shelter Island Bucks will send nine players.
Going into the game, Riverhead stood at first place in the HCBL at 22-8, while the Bucks were at third with a 17-15 record.
Despite having more all stars, it was the Tomcats who came out with a 8-5 victory over Shelter Island to extend their win streak to six.
Riverhead scores first, as Jason Coules, an all star entering the game with a .403 average, singled and stole second. He scored on a Bryce Willits RBI single, another all star.
Shelter Island tied it up in the home first after Justin Murray led off with a hit by pitch. It was met with some controversy, though, as the pitch didn’t look to hit him, but Murray was already well down the line once the call was made. All Star John Shields drove in his teammate with an RBI single.
Riverhead then exploded for three runs in the top of the second to lead 4-1, and it started with the speed of Thomas Papadopoulos.
Papadopoulos led off the second with a bunt single, and the throw which he would have beat our anyway sailed out of play, allowing Papadopoulos to reach second. The next hitter, Brian Morrell, walked, and Papadopoulos capitalized on starter Manny Sanchez’s lapse and scooted over to third.
Isiah Payton drove Papadopoulos in from third on a fielders choice, and come around to score himself on All Star Robert Gallagher’s base, his first of three runs batted in. Coules then continued his hot hitting by doubling and scoring Gallagher all the way from first.
The @RHTomcats score all eight of their runs in the first three innings, and take it 8-5 over the Shelter Island Bucks. Robert Gallagher is back with @SachChristopher to discuss his three RBI day as well as the @HamptonsLeague All-Star game, tomorrow at 6:30. @hamptoncoffee. pic.twitter.com/bDwXy2qc6A
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 13, 2019
After Tomcats starter Brian Hendry held the Bucks scoreless in the home second, Riverhead continued to pile it on. New pitcher Jack Metzger was wild, allowing Jared Greene, Andrew Hernandez, and Bryce Wallace reach without getting hits. They all scored; Papadopoulos and Payton racked up their second RBI’s, and Gallagher his second and third.
Trialing 8-1, Shelter Island clawed back in innings 4 and 7 to try and come back. The All Star Shields doubled to lead off the fourth, and All Star Andy Semo singled to follow. They scored on a Jackson Kaplowitz grounder that Payton misplayed at shortstop.
In the seventh, Murray led off with a single (he reached first 4 out of 5 plate appearances out of the leadoff spot) and teammate Bryce Daniel followed with one of his own. They scored when Semo smashes a two RBI single into left field.
Despite winning 8-5, Riverhead was held scoreless after the third, thanks in large part to lefty Thomas Ippolitto and his three scoreless innings.
Another lefty, Joe Murphy, nailed down the save for Riverhead with three scoreless innings himself.
