by Ethan Berch
Axcess Reporter Ethan Berch (@eberch5) speaks with Joe Marino and Vinny Napolitano following Team Steels Boys of Summer League championship win! pic.twitter.com/Q9sInyiFnP
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) November 7, 2020
They do say that November baseball never fails to excite. The Boys of Summer College Championship may have agreed with that statement! The East End Aviators, representing majority of Suffolk Community College baseball players and Team Steel representing majority Farmingdale State College players went head-to-head at Brentwood State park.
Coming off a dramatic win just minutes before, the Aviators came in with serious momentum after clobbering a walk-off homerun. They threw Ray Hoffman to start this game. Ray was solid in the first inning, finishing with two strikeouts. Team Steel added the first run of the game in the second inning when grounding into a bases loaded double play, they would lead 1-0 going into the third.
A name you might hear more often, Joe Marino, was the starter for Team Steel. Team Steel entered this game as the 4 seed playing against the 2 seed. In a final four bracket, the odds of the 4 seed making the championship aren’t great but Joe Marino had to say otherwise. Joe went out, and shut down a powerhouse Suffolk County lineup. Joe pitched with a lead early and never looked back.
In the top of the third, Vinny Napolitano smoked a two-run bomb followed by a nasty bat flip and took the long stroll as his team and Joe Marino got some breathing room. Marino went to work, striking out 11 batters in 6 innings of work only allowing 1 singular infield single. In the 7th, Tyler Loft slammed the door and that was the game!
Axcess Reporter Ethan Berch (@eberch5) speaks with Joe Marino and Vinny Napolitano following Team Steels Boys of Summer League championship win! pic.twitter.com/Q9sInyiFnP
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) November 7, 2020
“This was a team win, the fact that our offense put up some runs early made me feel good and Lou Annunziata called a great game, so nothing but good words from me” said Joe Marino following his gutsy championship performance! Congratulations to Team Steel, they defeat the East End Aviators, 4-0.
