by Chris Sacchi
With their playoff spot already clinched heading into the Sag Harbor Whalers’ matchup in Southampton against the Breakers, manager James Pereira decided to switch things up.
Peter Marren, in his first action on the bump since high school, started for Sag Harbor. The usual infielder walked three batters and plunked one in two innings, but allowed only one run thanks to two double plays, a 6-3 initiated by shortstop Brock Franks, and a 5-4-3 started by third baseman Pete Giombetti.
Next in for the Whalers on the mound was Johnny Lopez, who led off in the batting order and started in left field. Lopez hit the first batter he faced but also struck out one. During an at-bat against Justice Thompson with a 3-1 count and two out, Lopez motioned for his manager Pereira and removed himself from the game.
All-Star outfielder River Town jogged in from right to replace Lopez, and immediately allowed a two run homer to Thompson.
It was Town, though, who recovered and earned the victory in an 11-7 win.
Usual pitcher Nathan Moore also enjoyed the switch up, hitting a two RBI double in the fourth to give his team a 6-4 lead, one they would not give up.
“I was just having fun, we were trying to save some pitching today and I told coach I could play the field,” said Moore, who also pitched the final frame to nail down the win. “It was a lot of fun, and I ended up hitting a double that put us up two.”
Of the Whalers true offensive players, Andrew Bates, Brendan Dowd, and Ramon Jimenez stand out.
Bates enjoyed a 3 for 4 day with a double and an RBI. Dowd cracked a homer and totaled three RBI on the day, and Jimenez had one of the biggest hits of the day, along with Nathan Moore’s; a two RBI double in the top of the seventh to give Sag Harbor two insurance runs.
Along with Justice Thompson’s home run, Southampton received big days from Johnny Hipsman, who also went yard for a HR, as well as Gerard Sweeny and Isiah Winiker with two RBI each.
Sag Harbor enters the playoffs as the three seed, and will either face Westhampton (if Southampton beats Riverhead tomorrow,) or Riverhead (if they beat Southampton.)
An 11-7 win for the @SagHbrWhalers over the @SH_Breakers, in a game where position players took the mound and pitchers took at-bats. Nathan Moore did both today for the Whalers, knocking a two RBI double and pitching the final frame. He discusses the switch ups w/@SachChristopher pic.twitter.com/cUm5gbnjAV
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 22, 2019
Southampton, regardless of tomorrow’s game, will take the ferry over to Shelter Island to play the Bucks in the wild card game on Wednesday. The wild card winner will take on the one seed, either Riverhead or Westhampton.
