Andrew Lenski had 2 hits including a 3-R shot in the first inning as Plainview JFK advances to the Nassau Class AA Finals against Massapequa @GCsports pic.twitter.com/42Y4IQOBPX
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 27, 2023
Last year, Farmingdale defeated Plainview JFK in the Nassau AA Semifinals and that was something that was not lost on the returning players.
The Hawks, who graduated one of their best players in program history last season in Dylan Banner, were able to rely behind last year’s postseason exit and exercise those playoff demons against their crosstown rivals.
The teams split the first two games of the series with the road teams winning each game. Plainview made sure to take some of the anxiety out of the home crowd as they drew back-to-back walks to start the game against Farmingdale RHP Joe Tagliavia. Up stepped catcher Andrew Lenski, one of the best power hitters on Long Island. After Tagliavia missed with a couple pitches, he sat on a breaking ball and deposited it over the left field fence. The atmosphere was electric as the home town faithful was able to let out 48 hours of nerves since the Game 2 loss. They did get two more base runners in the inning – a single by Mike D’Ambrosio and a walk to Peter Buonougias, but Tagliavia was able to settle in and avoid any further damage.
For Plainview, they sent Nate Sica to the mound in Game 3. Sica allowed a walk and a single in the first but came away unscathed. In the second inning, he wasn’t as fortunate as he allowed back-to-back walks to start the inning, and a perfect bunt single by Anthony Ventiere to load the bases. Josh Behar hit a sac fly to left, just narrowly missing a grand slam. JoJo Burriesci hit a single to right field to load the bases again and Michael Craig drew a walk to bring in a run and make it 3-2. Tagliavia stepped to the plate and gave it a ride but it was right at the right field and not deep enough to score the run. With two outs, he was able to end the inning on a big strikeout of the dangerous Jordan Welch.
In the home half of the third, Plainview added another run on a two-out RBI single by Sean Farrell to score Andrew Lenski – who led off the inning with a single.
Farmingdale did squander a couple opportunities to inch closer in the middle innings. They had two runners on in the 4th inning against Plainview RHP Jacob Kouba but were unable to cash in. Once again in the fifth, after the first two batters were retired, they loaded the bases with Michael Craig coming up. He squared one up but it was right at the center fielder to keep the score at 4-2 in favor of Plainview JFK.
In the bottom of sixth, the Hawks added two insurance runs. Shwom and Lippman were retired to start the inning, but Lenski was hit by a pitch and Mike D’Ambrosio singled to left field. Peter Buonougias singled to score a run and Nate Sica hit a chopper that took a bad hop over the head of the shortstop to make it 6-2. At that point, it certainly appeared that Farmingdale’s runners stranded on base and Plainview’s sixth inning had put the game out of reach.
If we learned anything from Calhoun’ improbably comeback earlier in the day, it’s never over ’til it’s over in these playoff games.
Kouba immediately ran into trouble in the 7th inning when he gave up a leadoff single followed by back-to-back walks issued to the number 7 and 8 hitters to load the bases. He was able to strike out pinch hitter Carmine Scardina for the first out, but not before a balk brought in a run and made it 6-4. The leadoff batter, JoJo Burriesci grounded one back to the mound but Kouba overthrew the first baseman and it allowed both runners to score and suddenly it was a 6-5 game. Burriesci was able to get to second, which meant the tying run was in scoring position with just one out.
Plainview JFK punches their ticket to the Nassau Class AA Finals against Massapequa with a thrilling 6-5 win over Farmingdale ! pic.twitter.com/cwDKpQ4dHb
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 26, 2023
Anthony Powers came on in relief to put out the fire. Michael Craig stepped to the plate, and he hit it well but right at the first baseman who was able to make the unassisted put out. Burriesci scampered to third to put the tying run 90 feet away. Powers was able to channel the energy of the crowd and made a huge pitch, striking out Tagliavia to end the game and send the Hawks into the Class AA Finals against the vaunted Massapequa Chiefs, who have won six straight titles.
The series will begin on Sunday at 10am at Farmingdale State College.
