By Daniel Lopes
The Kings Park Knights and LI Titans faced off in a doubleheader on Saturday, with each team earning a win. The Titans won the first game of the day, 7-4, and the Knights bounced back in the second game, winning via mercy rule, 19-2.
Kings Park head coach Danny Romano speaks after a doubleheader split against the LI Titans pic.twitter.com/h3mJ1RPNWL
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 14, 2022
Game One: Titans 7, Knights 4
Kings Park gets a couple runs back, but the LI Titans hold on for the win in game one
FINAL|| Titans 7, Knights 4 pic.twitter.com/1hZIlAcpUY
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 14, 2022
LI Titans wasted no time getting on the board in the first game, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. After drawing a leadoff walk, Jack Frishman stole second and third base, eventually scoring after the throw to third went wild. Luke Golus drew another walk, and Noah Flax drove him in with an RBI single to give them an early 2-0 lead.
Both offenses were quiet until the fourth inning. The starting pitchers for both teams pitched well, keeping each other’s bats at bay. Brandon Travers started for the Knights, striking out eight batters in 4.2 innings pitched. Justin Carey pitched five innings for the Titans, only allowing three hits and two runs.
The Titans added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning on a pair of passed balls. The Knights responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, getting on the board with an RBI groundout by Anthony Romano. The Titans responded once again, adding another two runs in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single by Golus and an RBI groundout from Michael Scilla.
The Knights got their second run of the game in a big way, as Anthony Germano hit the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth inning to the fence in left field for an inside-the-park home run to make it 6-2. The Titans got that run back in the sixth inning, however, scoring on an RBI single from Thomas Zacaria.
The Knights fought back in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring two runs on a pair of RBI groundouts by Adrian Aristy and Jeremy Rossi to make it 7-4. But the Titans got the last out of the game on a strikeout to get the win in the first game of the doubleheader.
Game Two: Knights 19, Titans 2
Kings Park gets the final out to finish the game and earn the doubleheader split by mercy rule
FINAL|| Knights 19, Titans 2 pic.twitter.com/ckgVzqQNYN
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 14, 2022
The Knights got on the board first in the second game, scoring on an RBI groundout from Jeremy Rossi to give them the early lead. The Titans responded immediately, scoring two runs of their own in the bottom half of the first inning. Noah Flax hit his second RBI single of the day and Michael Imperiale hit an RBI fielder’s choice to make it a 2-1 game.
The Knights got back in a big way in the second inning, scoring 17 runs to give them an 18-2 lead. Gavin O’Connor started the scoring with an RBI single to tie it, and Charlie Alongi gave them the lead with a two-run triple. He scored on an RBI single by Brandon Travers. After getting more runners on, they scored runs on four straight at-bats. Noah Padilla hit an RBI single, Adrian Aristy hit an RBI double, Rossi hit an RBI groundout, and Anthony Romano made it 10-2 with an RBI single.
The bats kept rolling for the Knights in the second inning, scoring on RBI singles from Anthony Germano and Michael Destefano and a pair of bases-loaded walks. Padilla and Aristy rounded out the scoring in the second inning, each getting their second RBI hit of the inning. They added another run in the top of the third inning on an inside-the-park home run by Germano to make it 19-2.
Kings Park puts up a huge inning, scoring 17 runs in the top of the second inning, including this RBI single
B2|| Knights 18, Titans 2 pic.twitter.com/0ApZ6NeLKt
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 14, 2022
The Knights pitched a clean inning in the bottom of the third to earn the win and get the split in the doubleheader.
