by Ethan Marshall
A strong pitching effort on both sides ended up resulting in a 2-2 tie between the East Coast Jays and B1000 Seminoles in a nine-inning game from Hofstra. The Jays pitchers: Matthew Jacob, Joe DeTommaso and James Capozzi, combined for seven strikeouts. Seminoles starting pitcher Dan Pepe recorded 10 strikeouts over six innings, allowing two runs, though only one was earned. He also drove in a run on a safety squeeze.
According to Pepe, he felt like he had good command of his pitches. “I feel like getting ahead early really helped me,” he said. “My change up and curveball were both working, letting me get ahead [of hitters.]”
The first run Pepe allowed came in the third inning. After allowing a two-out infield single, Pepe induced a ground ball to shortstop. However, an errant throw pushed the second baseman off the base and resulted in everyone being safe. The next batter for the Jays, Nick Hofacker, hit a fly ball down the line in shallow right field. The right fielder took a step or two back at first, but with the ball slicing away from him as he came in, it landed just out of reach, resulting in the game’s first run.
Pepe really only made one mistake all game, resulting in the Jays’ second run. With two outs and a runner on second in the sixth inning, Pepe got ahead of John Sepe 0-2. However, Sepe drove the next pitch the other way and over the second baseman for a two-out RBI single. According to Pepe, he was trying to blow it by him. “I was trying to beat him inside, but he put his hands out and made a good swing on it,” Pepe said.
After the Jays scored in the top of the third, the Seminoles were quick to respond. While a great running catch by left fielder Jack Bier prevented an extra base hit from Pepe, the next three batters: Dov Ginzburg, Eric Heasley and Jack Walsh, each recorded singles, with Walsh’s plating a run to tie the game. However, Jays starting pitcher Matthew Jacob was able to limit the damage by striking out the next batter with the go-ahead run at third before inducing a ground out to end the inning.
Seminoles starting pitcher Dan Pepe (and his teammates) on his outing. pic.twitter.com/lPUkSFv8Lq
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) August 4, 2019
After the Jays scored in the sixth inning, it remained 2-1 in their favor until the bottom of the eighth. James Hanley led off the frame with a single, then stole second base. After advancing to third on a groundout, Dan Pepe laid down a bunt down toward the third baseman. With Hanley getting a good jump upon contact, he was narrowly able to beat the throw home and tie the game. The Seminoles had a chance to take a lead later in the inning. With runners on the corners and two out, the runner on first, Eric Heasley, took off for second. With the catcher throwing the ball towards second, Pepe broke for home from third. However, the throw to second was cut off by the shortstop, who threw home just in time to nail Pepe at home.
The Seminoles had one last opportunity in the bottom of the ninth, after a lead off single by Walsh and a walk to Alex Calderon put the winning run in scoring position with nobody out. However, Jays pitcher James Capozzi was able to recover and retire the next three hitters via a strikeout, fielder’s choice to second and another strikeout, stranding the winning run at third to end the game.
