Commack Crushers Crush Massapequa Cyclones in Brian Moore Memorial Tournament

by Ethan Marshall

Danny Goodi on his performance today on the mound, at the plate and on the basepaths: pic.twitter.com/oFP1MhQKw8

— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 19, 2020

Led by solid pitching and a powerful offensive performance, the Commack Crushers run-ruled the Massapequa Cyclones in four innings by the score of 12-2. All but two of the Crushers’ runs were driven in by the 2-6 hitters in the lineup: Tristan Garcia, Jordan Konig, Ryan Bush, Evan Byrnes and Danny Goodis. Leadoff hitter Luke McDonough worked a walk in all three plate appearances, with two coming on eight-pitch at-bats and another on a nine-pitch at-bat. 

Konis and Byrnes each homered while Goodis and Khye Addison both contributed RBI triples. Goodis also threw two scoreless innings as the starting pitcher.

“I felt good [on the mound and at the plate] today,” Goodis said. While Goodis went 2-2 with a hit-by-pitch and three RBI in addition to his strong start, he was quick to shift the spotlight to his teammates. “It was just all a team effort by everybody today,” Goodis said. 

Goodis and head coach Chris Bush also credited McDonough’s performance out of the leadoff spot for tiring out opposing pitchers and allowing the rest of the team to get a good look at them. “McDonough did a phenomenal job seeing the pitches so his teammates could get an idea what [opposing pitchers] were trying to do out there to us,” Coach Bush said.

Crushers head coach Chris Bush on the team’s victory: pic.twitter.com/UlvCNYxyQn

— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 19, 2020

The Crushers got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first inning, with the first six batters each reaching base. McDonough walked before stealing second and scoring on Garcia’s RBI single. Garcia then stole second and scored on Konig’s RBI single. After Bush singled and Byrnes walked to load the bases, Goodis was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run. Addison drove in the fourth and final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly. 

Konig’s two-run homer in the second extended the Crushers’ lead to 6-0. However, the Cyclones took advantage of two misplayed grounders off the bats of Andy Dionio and Logan Coady to get on the board in the top of the third. The rally could have been bigger had it not been for a great diving catch by Byrnes at third to retire the side. Leading off the bottom of the third, Byrnes then homered to left field, putting the Crushers ahead 7-1. 

In the top of the fourth, Ben Biekers hit a homer of his own, again cutting the Cyclones’ deficit to five runs. However, the Crushers exploded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to a RBI single by Garcia, RBI groundout off the bat of Bush, an errant pickoff throw with runners on the corners and RBI triples by Goodis and Addison. 

By the end of the game, the top six batters for the Crushers combined to go 8-11 with six walks, a hit-by-pitch, 10 RBI, 10 runs scored and seven stolen bases. Additionally, Goodis and Michael Heller combined to allow just two runs (one earned) on two hits with one walk and four strikeouts.