by Nicholas Cipolla
Game 1:
Patrick Sanchez makes it 7-0 LIB Neptune with an RBI single to left. pic.twitter.com/LZiT5kCLNc
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 18, 2021
The LIB Neptune proved that they are the team to beat in the Boys of Summer Perfect Game league.
This was yet another dominant showing from LIB Neptune, as they continued their winning ways in game 1.
The offense attacked early and often, starting in the first inning. Following a single from Jaden Rivera and a double off the wall from Jayson Rodopolous, College of Charleston commit Patrick Sanchez knocked in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly.
In the second inning, Anthony Pandolfi showed off a bit of his power as he hit a two run home run that landed way over the left field fence making the score 3-0 in favor of the Neptunes
The LIB Neptunes broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning. Harrison Treble stepped up with runners on second and third. He came through with a sacrifice fly deep enough to score a run and move the runner from second base up 90 feet. Jaden Rivera kept the line moving, stroking a double into the left center gap, making the score 5-0. After a wild pitch allowing Rivera to move up, Jayson Rodopolus fisted a single into center field, scoring Rivera to make the score 6-0. Patrick Sanchez knocked in his second run of the game when he singled to left field, scoring Rodopolus to push the lead to 7 runs. The very next pitch, Nick Font hit a triple to left center to make the score 8-0, and to bring the run total to 5 in the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Stephen Santarpia became the second member of the Neptunes to put a ball over the fence, as he hit a two out solo homer, to make the score 9-0. Two batters later, Jaden Rivera once again hit an RBI double in the gap, knocking in the game-ending run as the mercy rule was reached.
Pitching wise, John Rodopolus was dominant. He went 4 innings, only allowing 1 hit and striking out 5. He also added a runner picked off second base to end the fourth inning.
Game 2:
Daniel Molina hits a walk off 2 run single with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th to give the Tri State Arsenal the win pic.twitter.com/kdTYTibBJ1
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 18, 2021
Unlike game 1, game 2 was a pitcher’s duel that unfortunately someone had to lose
For the Tri State Arsenal, St. Joseph’s College pitcher Sean Brody was handed the ball in game 2 and was given the hard task of keeping a scorching hot LIB Neptunes lineup off the scoreboard.
For the Neptunes, they turned to the recent Walt Whitman High School graduate and Pace commit Grant Biederman, hoping he could keep what John Rodopolus and Nick Vitale did going in game 2.
Both teams were able to score in the first inning, After Brody hit leadoff man Anthony Dinofrio and walking Johnny Guantano, Brodey faced his first test. He had runners on first and second with no one out. Before a pitch was thrown, it seemed like Brodey had picked off Dinofrio, however, Dinofrio made a break for third base and made a beautiful juke move to avoid the tag from the third baseman and made it to third base. Guantano moved up to second base during all the commotion that Dinofrio created.
Brody ended up hitting Harrison Treble, loading the bases for Tom Popadopoluos. However, a runner was able to score via a wild pitch. Dinofrio made a break for the plate when the ball skipped past the catcher, giving the Neptunes a 1-0 lead. But that was all they were able to get, as Brody locked in and got a foul out and a strikeout to end the top half of the frame.
For the Arsenal, Daniel Molina attacked the first pitch he saw and hit a triple to right center field. The very next batter, Chris Giardino, knocked in Molina to give the Arsenal their first run of the game. However, this was the only run they would score over the next 5.2 innings of baseball.
Over the next few innings, the pitchers on both sides put on a clinic.
Sean Brody only allowed one hit through his first six innings of work, which was a single during the second inning. He was producing a lot of routine outs for his fielders and he had 5 strikeouts and a runner picked off.
Grant Biederman was dominant. He went four innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 run, and 6 strikeouts. 5 of his 6 strikeouts were all in a row. He struck out the last batter in the first, struck out the side in the second, and struck out one more to start the third. He also retired 9 batters in a row after allowing an RBI single in the first inning.
Biederman handed the baton off to Dan Brown who also dominated over two innings of work, striking out 2 and allowing only one hit.
The next run was scored in the top of the seventh, after two consecutive singles by Jayson Rodopoluos and Anthony Pandolfi, Jaden Rivera ripped a ball to first base that wasn’t handled and allowed Rodopolus who was on third base to score, giving the Neptunes the lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, the bases were loaded with two outs and Daniel Molina stepped up to the plate. Molina was able to get an inside fastball and hit it back up the middle for a walk off, two run single. This gave the Tri State Arsenal a big win over the top team in the Boys of Summer Perfect Game Collegiate League.
