Postgame interview with Shoreham-Wading River RHP Billy Steele who fired 6 no-hit innings in a 4-1 win pic.twitter.com/dzwO45Ztze
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 4, 2022
Shoreham-Wading River has grown accustomed to no-hitters over the past several years. Between Brian Morrell‘s record-setting six no-hitters in 2016-’17 and then Aidan Crowley‘s back-to-back-to-back no-hitters in 2019, maybe there isn’t the same allure there once was.
Billy Steele, their 2022 version of those aforementioned pitchers took a no-hitter through six innings, but was lifted in favor of LHP Nick Stella. He was one strike away from finishing it off, before Bayport-Blue Point ruined the bid and got on the board on an RBI double, briefly putting a scare into the hometown faithful. Ben Grodski came on in relief to close the door, strand runners at 2nd & 3rd and finish the 4-1 victory for the Wildcats.
Steele is coming off an incredible 2021 season in which he compiled a 1.05 ERA and was named to our All-Axcess team. He is determined to best that mark this season as he has begun the year by twirling 9 no-hit, no-run innings. If today was any indication, he’s coming for the Paul Gibson Award too.
He was squared off against another perennial playoff team, Bayport-Blue Point, led by St. John’s-commit Brady Clark – who has been under-the-weather but competed regardless.
The aces traded zeros for three innings, as it appeared neither pitcher would blink.
Shoreham-Wading River gets on the board in the fourth inning on an RBI ground rule double by Joey Marchese pic.twitter.com/QXMIjaJqCw
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 4, 2022
But in the home half of the fourth, Fordham-commit Liam Bowes hit a ground ball to second that was booted and allowed him to reach safely. After Steele struck out, Greg Friedman hit a grounder to short that Trey McGowan gambled on and tried to get Bowes going to third. He reached safely which meant runners were at the corners with 1 out. Power-hitting Joey Marchese came up and ripped a ground-rule double down the left field line to get SWR on the board. The following batter, Christian Cox, came through with a two-run single of his own to open up a 3-0 game.
With the way, Steele was pitching, that was more than enough.
He struck out two in a 1-2-3 fifth inning and struck out one in a 1-2-3 sixth inning to make it 9 on the day. The only base runners came on an E6, a walk and a HBP.
Steele came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and launched a leadoff triple to left center. He came around to score on a sac fly to right field by Greg Friedman to make it 4-0. That wound up being important as the Phantom wound up bringing the tying run to the plate in the 7th, but Grodski was able to make a pitch when he needed to most.
With the victory, the Wildcats improve to 3-0 (2-0 in league play) on season. The teams will be back in action today.
