Never let the best player beat you. That’s one of the mantras of high school baseball.
For 7 innings, Syosset lived by that code. They walked Plainview JFK’s most dangerous hitter, Dylan Banner, in all four at bats. In his fifth at bat, though, they opted to pitch to him and, boy, did he take advantage. The junior smashed a go-ahead, two-run HR easily over 400 feet to left field to give the Hawks a 6-4 lead in the top of the eighth. They would hold on by the skin of their teeth, 6-5, to force a do-or-die Game 3 today at Plainview.
There was many twists-and-turns to this game. The stands were packed and emotions were spilling over as this game crossed the three-hour threshold. And there’s no commercial breaks – that’s just how much each team was working the opposing pitchers.
The Hawks jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a wild pitch that scored Sam Saltzman – who doubled to lead off the game. Freshman Sebastian Lippman drew a walk, as did Banner and Lippman came around to score on a ground out by Michael DeAngelis.
Working with a 2-0 lead, Plainview RHP Charlie Knoll ran into immediate trouble. He allowed a hit to Jacob Lee and walked through to bring in a run and get Syosset on the board. He was able to escape further trouble on a hard ground out by Marco Clara. That was a theme of this game as Syosset notched 9 hits and drew 5 walks but was unable to capitalize with a big hit to ever take the lead.
The Hawks added another run in the third inning when Lippman and Banner drew back-to-back walks to start the inning and Gavin Weinstock singled to shortstop that scored Lippman and the throw got away from the first baseman – but Jacob Lee made a perfect throw to nail Banner at the plate. The ensuing batter, Michael DeAngelis doubled to left center field to score Weinstock and open up a 4-1 lead.
The score stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth. Charlie Knoll’s command escaped him and he left with the bases loaded in favor of Jake Goldfarb. He immediately hit Michael Cardoza to bring in Jacob Lee from third to make it 4-2. The next batter, though, Marco Clara, struck out looking on a borderline pitch to end the inning.
A king-sized inning-ending double play started by Marco Clara and a great scoop by Jacob Lee at first
Mid 6: Plainview JFK 4, Syosset 2 pic.twitter.com/8MdReAcqjR
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 13, 2021
It looked like the Hawks might run away and add some insurance runs after Lippman led off the sixth with a single and advanced on Banner’s latest walk. After a flyout advanced the runners, Syosset opted to intentionally walk DeAngelis to set up the double play. It worked to perfection as Klansky bounced one to third, Clara stepped on the bag and fired low to first but Lee made the impressive scoop on the in-between hop to end the jam and fire up the home crowd.
Jacob Lee hits an RBI single to center and Syosset cuts the lead to 4-3 in the sixth pic.twitter.com/LCDOtwyofg
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 13, 2021
They rode that momentum into the home half of the sixth when Ventura reached safely on an error by the shortstop which allowed him to advance to second. Jacob Lee made it hurt with an RBI single to center to make it 4-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, Alex Larson hit a one-out single to left and stole second to get into scoring position. Michael Cardoza smoked down that got passed the first baseman to allow the tying run to score. In this situation with Syosset having won the first game, one run would send the Braves to the County Finals. It got more intense after Banner misplayed a ground ball to allow Clara to reach safely and put the potential winning run at second. Goldfarb settled down, though, and escaped the jam with a fly out to center and ground out to first.
We head to extras.
In the eight, Saltzman singled to right to start the inning. After Lippman struck out, Banner stepped to the plate with one thing on his mind.
Dylan Banner just crushed a go-ahead, 2-R HR in the eighth to give Plainview JFK a 6-4 lead over Syosset pic.twitter.com/xNZOHPnXmm
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 13, 2021
Big-time players step up in big moments and Dylan Banner is a Division-I player. He set his dugout and fans into an absolute frenzy with his home run and bat flip to give his team the 6-4 lead.
Sid Mantravadi came on in relief looking to slam the door but this Syosset team didn’t want to go down easy. After two hard outs to start the inning, a double by Alex Rubin who ripped a double. Rubin scored on an RBI single by Kessler to make it 6-5 and add to the anxiety of this game. That was turned up another half of a notch when Ryan Banks knocked a single to right field to put runners on the corners and two outs. Cardoza stepped up looking for more late-game magic but he grounded out to first to end it. It forced a Game 3 which will be today at 4pm. Goldfarb earned the W and Mantravadi notched the save.
