Final: Longwood 2, Smithtown East 0
WP: Danny Gargano
S: Tommy VentimigliaJames Myler game-winning HR pic.twitter.com/2noaf3lu31
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 21, 2019
If you followed the 2019 high school season closely then you are familiar with the rise of Longwood RHP Tommy Ventimiglia.
Ventimiglia, which is a town in Northern Italy, is also an ace pitcher that is now off the board for college coaches after announcing his commitment to Stony Brook University last night. Head Coach Matt Senk knows pitchers, and he was able to watch him up close on Wednesday in a dominant outing.
During the high school season, ‘Venti’ started out as an unknown sophomore getting called up to varsity and wound up as one of the most effective pitchers in the Class AA playoffs. Time after time, he showed his mettle.
It started May 21 when he came on in relief at Smithtown East with the bases loaded and he recorded the strike out to end it.
Again on May 24, he faced Smithtown East but this time he got the start. He was positively dominant over six innings, striking out eight and allowing just one run.
The finale came on May 29 when he came in to preserve a 1-0 lead against the eventually AA Champion Connetquot T-Birds. He came on and struck out his future Stony Brook teammate to force a do-or-die Game 3.
All told, he compiled a record of 4-0 with a 0.28 ERA and 2 saves as a sophomore in League I.
Big pitchers excel in those moments and that’s precisely what he’s done.
This summer I watched him at BCP Showcase at Mitchel and another outing at Hofstra University and he didn’t blink either outing.
He possesses all the prerequisite skills to be successful and with the graduation of Paul Gibson Award winner Joe Savino, Carl Yastrzemski Award winner Max Nielsen and Jacksonville-commit Roman Dorosh I think he enters 2020 as the top pitcher in League 1.
