by Andrew Barbieri
Waldier Perez is our Muddy Locker Player of the Game. He went 3-4 with a homer in the Aviators’ 12-2 victory. pic.twitter.com/SpBBdUm0iQ
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 17, 2023
At Aviator Field on opening day, the Westhampton Aviators used big 1st and 3rd innings to run rule the Southampton Breakers 12-2.
Michael DiForte was given the start today and his offense wasted no time to give him run support. After DiForte sent down the top of the Breakers’ lineup Nick Ungania, Johnny Catuosco, and Ty Gilligan in order. The next time he went out to the mound he had a 3-run cushion. That cushion stemming from the bottom of the 1st as the Aviators got to Southampton’s starter Louis Stallone early. Luke Mistone who was batting 2nd, walked, advanced on a wild pitch, and later scored on a single to left field by Greg Marmo. Later in the inning, Marmo would score after Sean Keys walked, Waldier Perez singled, and finally Marmo touched home on a walk by Zev Moore that included Moore fouling off multiple pitches while in a full count. The 3rd run of the inning commenced right after as Lou Martineau walked.
In the 2nd, the Breakers looked to get themselves back into the game as with 1 out DiForte conceded 2 walks to Connor Waiting and John Vitucci which were in-between a Kenneth Fraquiz single to set up JJ Romatzick with the bases loaded. Romatzick paid the price to get a run home as he was hit with a 2-2 count. Unfortunately for the Breakers the rally would come to a screeching halt as DiForte struck out Zack Siegal and then retired Ungania for a 2nd time by inducing an grounder to Mistone at first.
The next 2 half innings would pass quickly as both pitchers traded zeroes. However the quick pace wouldn’t last for long as the Aviators sought after getting the run back they gave up in the 2nd and also get plenty more. After Stallone caught Keys looking, he fell behind against Perez 3-1 and Perez made him pay by sending a hanging breaking ball over the left field wall to give Westhampton a 4-1 lead. Stallone’s issue besides the home run was trouble with command as he walked 5 batters on the day. Following the solo shot, the 6’9” righty’s day was done as Zach Rovner took over on the mound and also had trouble finding the zone when he immediately walked Moore, who was the 1st batter he faced. As he began to locate, Martineau would punish him for it as he drilled a 2 bagger over the head of Catuosco in center to drive in Moore to make it a 5-1 game. Then Rovner would hit 2 batters and walk another 2 which set up the final blow of the inning from Keys who ripped a ball into right to plate Greg Becil and Mistone to put a cherry on top of a 6 run inning that saw 11 batters step up to the plate.
The Aviators breakout for 6 runs in the 3rd capped off by a 2 run single by Sean Keys.
END 3: Westhampton 9, Southampton 1 pic.twitter.com/DdhWNjB7i3
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 17, 2023
With the score 9-1, Southampton would get a run back in the 4th after Waiting doubled into the right field corner and come home on a wild pitch. Cameron Heuer would be next out of the bullpen for the Breakers in effort to hold the Aviators at 9 runs while his offense would continue to chip away at the deficit. But Westhampton would find a way to strike for more.. 3 more runs came in from an RBI groundout by Ethan Guerra, an RBI single by Mistone, and lastly another RBI single from Marmo who delivered 3 RBIs on the day for the Aviators.
From that point moving forward, pitching would take over the rest of the way as DiForte would fire a scoreless 5th before being taken out for Jonathan Jones, who picked up where DiForte left off by keeping Southampton hitters at bay. On the other side, Heuer bounced back from a shaky 4th with much smoother 5th and 6th innings to keep the score 12-2.
F/7: Westhampton Aviators 12, Southampton Breakers 2.
Westhampton turns a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and start the season 1-0. pic.twitter.com/bWiHLV5Kgl— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 17, 2023
With the 10 after 7 run rule on the horizon, the Breakers would not go down without a fight. Romatzski reached on a single and Siegal walked to flip the order back to the top. The runners would move up on a wild pitch during Ungania’s at bat, but he would ultimately strike out. Catuosco worked his way on with a walk to load the bases, however Gilligan would ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the ballgame.
DiForte, who went 5 innings, giving up 2 earned runs got the win while Stallone was charged with the loss going 2 and a 3rd, and giving up 4 earned. Waldier Perez was a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-4 with a home run, a double, and a single. “I’m just trying to trust my approach and keep it up from there.” He said following the game when asked how he will look to carry the momentum over to the rest of the summer after a terrific performance in his first game in the HCBL. He and his teammates will have plenty of opportunities tomorrow at the plate on Father’s Day as they take on the Shelter Island Bucks in a doubleheader at Aviator Field. The Southampton Breakers look for their first win of the season in a doubleheader tomorrow of their own as they go against the North Fork Ospreys at Southampton High School.
