ERIK PAULSEN JR WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM TO WIN IT FOR MASSAPEQUA!!
ARE YOU KIDDING?! pic.twitter.com/XxVwkXrBMY
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 31, 2023
Bases loaded. Two outs. Bottom of the seventh inning in Game 3 of the Nassau County Class AA Finals.
Enter Erik Paulsen Jr.
It was a story book finish for the Stony Brook-bound Paulsen who launched a dramatic, incredible walk-off grand slam as No. 1 Massapequa stunned No. 2 Plainview JFK to win 8-6 and capture their record sixth consecutive Nassau Class AA Title.
While it’s never smart to count out the Chiefs, their backs were firmly against the wall after 3 innings – when they trailed 6-1.
Massapequa had jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when, who else, Erik Paulsen ripped a one-out double to the right field fence. He stole third and scored on an RBI ground by Michael Vilardi.
In the top of the second, Mike D’Ambrosio, who was the winning pitcher in Game 1 of the series, crushed a solo shot to left field to tie the game at 1-1. Massapequa starter Cameron Zampolin allowed a single to Sean Farrell and Tommy DiLeo and a sac fly by Anthony Powers gave the Hawks a 2-1 lead. Liam Shwom popped out to end the inning.
Plainview’s starter, Nate Sica, was dynamite early on as he struck out Tyler Young, Joe Swinarski and David Garren in the second inning.
In the top of the third, it was a bit of an offensive explosion for the Hawks, who scored four runs with a rally that started on a bunt single by Georgia Tech-commit Sebastian Lippman. A walk to Mike D’Ambrosio preceded an RBI single by 3B Peter Buonougias, RBI single by Nate Sica (on a deep fly ball that could’ve been an extra base hit) and another RBI single by Tommy DiLeo. Anthony Powers followed with a fielder’s choice that scored Sica to make it 6-1. Sure the game wasn’t out of reach, but it sure wasn’t looking good for the five-time reigning champs. With 1st & 3rd, Paul Dulanto threw out Powers attempting to steal. At the moment it seemed insignificant but it turned out to be a critical out.
In the bottom of the third, needing a rally, Sica once again struck out the side. That’s when I allowed myself to think Sica was in control and Plainview was in great shape.
Big mistake. Matt Ortiz came on in relief for the Chiefs and he fired a 1-2-3 inning, getting his team back in the dugout.
As they always do, they started to chip away. Michael Vilardi singled on a line drive to left field and Paul Dulanto followed with a well-struck two-run shot to make it a 6-3 ballgame and change the complexion of the game.
Each team went scoreless in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, Vilardi came on in relief for the Chiefs as they needed a scoreless inning and he provided exactly that, working around a two-out double issued to Anthony Powers.
In the bottom of the sixth, Bobby Gitto flied out to left field for the first out. Paulsen followed with a double to left center field and a balk sent him to third base. He scored on another RBI groundout by Vilardi. This made it a 6-4 game, and got the Chiefs ever so closer. Paul Dulanto singled to left field and advanced to second on a passed ball, but reliever Jacob Kouba got Tyler Young to fly out to short right field.
In the top of the seventh looking for some insurance, Mike D’Ambrosio blooped a two-out single to left but Bounogias was retired on a fly out to Muscara to end the inning.
Bottom seven.
Kouba issued a leadoff walk to Joe Swinarski and that was the kiss of death. You obviously never want to issue walks, but even more so in a two-run game in the last half inning with the big boppers looming.
David Garren struck out for the first out of the inning, Pat Mannino followed with a single through the left side. Eric Corey popped out in foul territory on a crazy deflection that catcher Andrew Lenski held onto. If you freeze the game at that moment, it seemed like luck was on Plainview’s side and maybe that was the break that they needed to finally take down Massapequa.
It was not the case, as Bobby Gitto was hit by a pitch, which brought up the one person they didn’t want to see.
Erik Paulsen noted in the interview that Coach Tom Sheedy had all the players take a strike in the seventh inning, but he lifted that mandate for Paulsen, who was unconscious at the plate. Even Martin Scorsese couldn’t have scripted a better ending.
Erik Paulsen’s 4th HR of the County Finals was straight out of a movie
A walk-off, 2-out grand slam that went just out of the reach of the right fielder to propel Massapequa to their SIXTH straight Nassau County Championship. They trailed 6-1 in this game.
The Chiefs will now… pic.twitter.com/MbPiUqh7xk
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 31, 2023
The rest, as they say, is history. Paulsen ripped a sky high fly ball that just narrowly made it over the fence – which was perfect for the theatrics of the moment. The stands were rocking and bedlam ensued. Paulsen finished with 4 HRs in the 3 games. The popular phrase after the game was “Diamond Him” in reference to the Diamond Award. Perhaps the better question is, “Should You Barry Bonds Him?” meaning walking him with the bases loaded and taking your chances with the next batter – in this case Michael Vilardi. Here’s the way I see it. Is it smart to put the tying run 90 feet away? Typically no. But can he hit a walk-off home run when you signal 4 fingers? No, and that’s what I would’ve done and just pray that the next batter doesn’t make you regret it.
In any event, The Chiefs will now face their old friends, the Commack Cougars, who they will face for the third straight Long Island Championship. Commack won in 2021, Massapequa won in 2022. Round 3 will take place on Saturday at St. Joseph’s University at 3pm. Commack just discarded Pat-Med, 21-3, in the County Championship.
What happens when the unstoppable force meets the unmovable object?
Probably a low-scoring game as we are likely to see a matchup of Evan Kay vs Erik Paulsen – two exceptional pitchers.
