Final: Division 13, Bethpage 4
WP: Mike RoyDivision improved to 8-0 on the season. They erased an early 3-0 deficit.
Chris Clune: 3 hits pic.twitter.com/I1RDLou9yd
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 11, 2023
When you enter the game with a run differential of 95 scored and 1 allowed, the expectations are high – even against a perennial playoff team like Bethpage. One day after a 10-0 shutout behind ace James Sill, Division faced an uphill battle – by their standards.
Bethpage actually jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead against Division RHP Christian Varela – with the runs coming on a bases loaded walk in the first inning and a 2-run error on an errant pickoff throw in the second inning.
At that point, it seemed we would be in for a close game, at the very least.
But when you are a high-octane team like Division, you don’t doubt yourself.
Division had gotten on the board in the third on a unique series. Binghamton-commit Matt Bolton was hit by a pitch, stole second, and when James Sill struck out but the ball hit the dirt, he took off for third and the throw got away, allowing him to score. Not exactly how you draw it up, but it was effective, nonetheless.
In the bottom of the third, starting pitcher Varela was taken out after a walk to Ziggy Cohen. Reliever Mike Roy took over and he really did a great job giving his team a chance to come back. He worked around a walk to Galeotafiore, with a ground out to second and a strikeout to end the inning.
The game really flipped in the fourth inning, when Chris Clune got things going with an infield single to shortstop. After a walk and a single by Marino, Ryan Klass ripped a game-tying two-run single to left to make it 3-3. Matt Bolton was hit by a pitch for the second time of the game. After a fielder’s choice where the lead runner was forced out at home, James Sill ripped a grounder to third that was misplayed and allowed the go-ahead run to score an make it 4-3. They continued to piled on as Brush hit an infield single to make it 5-3, Caiden Siegel hit a sac fly to make it 6-3, Chris Clune hit his second single of the inning – this time scoring a run to make it 7-3 and an RBI double by KK Delacruz to make it 8-3. Finally, the inning was ended but not before the 7 runs came in and made this one all Division.
Bethpage was able to get one run in the fourth inning on a “Little League HR” which is a single + three base error off the bat of Sean Seely. Roy was able to settle in after that and strike out two batters to get his offense back in the dugout.
They wound up posting five more runs in the fifth inning with RBI hits by Caiden Siegel and Chris Clune to break the game open.
Chris Clune had 3 hits – including two in the fourth inning to spark a comeback for Division as they wound up cruising to a 13-4 victory over Bethpage. They are 8-0 on the season. @GCsports pic.twitter.com/xo57dQpReE
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 11, 2023
That was all the scoring as each team went down quietly in the sixth and seventh innings.
With the victory, Division continues to dominate as they improve to 8-0 while Bethpage falls to 5-3 on the season.
