Final: 9-2. Here is South Shores Sean Collins and Alex Merejo on their performances today (post game interview sponsored by Muddy Locker Sports): pic.twitter.com/SlVDWKoFP7
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) October 6, 2019
by James Ryder
Sunday mornings 12U matchup between the South Shore Sharks and Long Island Elite at Wantagh Park seemed like it could be a tight one early on. Both teams were quick to score runs in the first inning. However, once the Sharks took the lead, they were able to add to it while keeping LI in check the rest of the contest. This allowed South Shore to stroll to a 9-2 victory in five innings.
Sean Collins started the game on the rubber for South Shore. He got off to a rough start, giving up a lead off single and a walk consecutively. His team recorded the first out before another batter drew a walk to load the bases. One final walk from Dominick Cusumano gave LI a 1-0 lead. Kenneth Zito followed this up with an RBI single to left field that put Elite up 2-0.
These would be all the runs LI could muster up on the day, and their only lead wasn’t long for this world. South Shore also got their first two hitters on base. Collins walked and Kyle Scheurer hit an infield single. After stealing third, Collins scored on a passed ball to cut into LI’s lead. Scheurer eventually moved over to third as well and stole home plate to tie the game 2-2. Then, it was Alex Merejo who hit a bloop single down the RF line to bring home Finn Rummenie and put the Sharks up 3-2.
The Sharks went on to score the bulk of their runs in the bottom of the third inning. Scheurer got another hit, this time an RBI single to RF that scored Ryker Shectman. Another walk from Rummenie and a single from Matty Hayes lead to another RBI single by Merejo. A wild pitch scored South Shores sixth run and a bases loaded 2 RBI single by Sean Mahoney put the icing on the cake. The Sharks now led 8-2.
They scored one last run on a passed just before the game was called for time limit in the bottom of the fifth. Collins ended the game with only 2 strikeouts to 8 walks, but pitched all 5 innings and did enough to keep Elite from keeping up. Collin’s pitching and the Sharks’ lineup behind Merejo’s 2 RBI’s came together for the win. Final Score: South Shore 9, LI 2.
