Final: Clarke 5, Island Trees 2
WP: Sean Welsh
S: Nick Giardino pic.twitter.com/OHFVwJvoJK— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 31, 2022
This was the very site of plenty of great battles last season between two high-octane Conference V rivals. After plenty of jostling throughout the regular season and one blowout playoff game, Island Trees took two critical games at Clarke, with their backs firmly against the wall.
They were unable to continue that magic from 2021, as the Clarke Rams defeated Island Trees, 5-2, on opening day of the 2022 season after two consecutive cancellations to start the week. Th conditions were awful for pitchers and fielders despite the 57 degree temperatures due to winds gusting at 40+ MPH.
A few fly balls were overrun and pitchers struggled with command – although Clarke’s longtime coach Tom Abruscato stated he doesn’t believe the wind impacted the pitchers today. Fortunately, their starter is a tough customer for any opponent. Molloy-commit Sean Welsh started and went 4.1 innings, striking out 9 before hitting the state-imposed pitch limit of 85 for March. He proved his mettle today against the reigning County Champs – although they were without CCSU-commit Antonio Ducatelli, who will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks with a wrist injury.
His counterpart was Conference V Pitcher of the Year, Queens-commit Vinny Giambona, who was 6-1 with a 1.96 ERA last season. That one loss came on this mound in the playoffs against Clarke – a nightmare game in which he struggled and Welsh hit 3 home runs. It wasn’t nearly as much of a struggle today, but he did allow two runs in the home half of the first, with one run coming around on Sean Welsh’s single to right field + an errant throw to third by the right fielder. The next batter, Nick Berasti – who is only in 10th grade and already proving to be one of the better players in Nassau County – laced an RBI single to left to make it 2-0. Giambona escaped the inning with a flyout to right and a ground out to shortstop.
In the top of the second, Island Trees tied the game up. Jonathan Uzzo reached on an infield single and Joe Meyer drew a walk, as did Chris Antonelli. John Wadjek blooped a single to short right field that scored a run and advanced everyone one base. After a strikeout of James Karras, Justin Mott drew a walk to bring in the second run of the inning. Welsh was able to bear down, though, and strike out Connor Waiting to end the inning.
Giambona went back out for the second inning and allowed a leadoff single to Jacob Dandic who then scored on Tom Roche‘s double to deep center field. A sac bunt by Liam Fonal moved him to third, and he scored on an RBI single by Nick Giardino.
Welsh worked around a one-out walk to put up a zero in the third inning, Giambona allowed two singles in the home half but worked around it as well.
Clarke added another run in the fourth inning when Giardino reached on an E6 and Zaim Deljanin reached on an E4. Sean Welsh made it hurt with an RBI single to make it 5-2. Justin Rindner walked to load the bases. With a chance to break it open, Giancarlo Rengifo flew out to center to end the inning.
A slightly unusual moment occurred in the home half of the 5th when it appeared that Clarke had added an insurance run on a sac fly by Nick Giardino to center. Island Trees appealed that the runner left early and the umpire ruled that he indeed did; taking the run off the board and keeping it 5-2.
In the sixth, Clarke’s reliever Deljanin struggled with his command as he walked the first two batters. Abruscrato called on Giardino and he was incredibly impressive – striking out 3 batters including Maine-commit Connor Waiting with the bases loaded to end the jam.
Quite a job of relief by Nick Giardino. He entered with 1st & 2nd 0 out and he strikes out 3 to escape any damage
Mid 6: Clarke leads 5-2 pic.twitter.com/BavmBtARzJ
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 31, 2022
He went back out for the 7th, and he worked around a base runner by coaxing a 1-6-3 game ending double play.
Following the game, Abruscato stated while it’s always important to get conference wins, they don’t put an extra emphasis on today’s win and that.
“It was nice to finally play, I’m glad we moved the game up to 3 o’clock to get it in. It’s great to start off the season like this – great day to finally play baseball.”
