by Andrew Barbieri
The Muddy Locker Player of the Game is Nic Benhardt. pic.twitter.com/UAFeRGnROu
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 5, 2023
The Clippers and Aviators have now met 6 times and the series heading into the doubleheader was tied at 2-2. It now sits at 3-3 after a Clippers 11-1 and a Aviators 6-2 win.
Game 1 saw 2 high powered offenses neutralized in the first half of the game, but it was only a matter of time until one of them broke out.
Jonathan Jones took the start for Westhampton and Nic Benhardt got the ball for the Clippers. A 2 out double from Greg Marmo was Benhardt’s only bump In the road in the 1st inning as he used the winds blowing in at Bellport High School to his advantage by inducing 3 flyouts. Jones had a rough time finding the zone in the 1st as he hit a batter and walked 2. During that struggle he got help from his battery mate Waldier Perez as Perez threw down to second during a double steal and got Ryan Ferremi to alleviate some of the pressure off Jones. Jones then struck out Robert Coppozi and shoveled a comebacker to first from Tyree Jackson to recover.
Benhardt then had to deal with traffic on the bases himself in the 2nd as Tyler Smith walked, Luke Mistone reached on an E4, and Perez singled. At that point there was 1 out with the bases loaded. Nathan Estrada would line one straight to Coppozi at first who tagged Perez out right in front of him get Benhardt out of danger.
The 4th inning was when Jones would lose command again and this time it broke the game wide open. With 2 out and Peter Devito on first, Jones managed to give free passes out to the next 4 batters he faced to make the score 2-0 Clippers. He was taken out for Amaury Soto who also had trouble with location, and he would walk the next 5 South Shore hitters to quickly make it 7-0. Then Matthew Tempone singled home 2 runs, Phil Krpata got another run across with his own single, and 1 more scored after an Aedan Forde infield hit.
With the Clippers up 11-0, the 5th inning gave them a chance to end the game early with a run-rule. The Aviators would get runners on, Jack Halloran then came through with a gapper to right center but was thrown out at 2nd. A run counted, but Halloran being tagged out represented the final out of the game as the Clippers held on to the run rule by winning 11-1
Benhardt with the win, had a huge bounce back game after allowing 9 earned runs in his last start vs. Southampton which was his first start in the HCBL. In his second he went 5 innings with 2 strikeouts and only conceded 1 run and 3 hits. “Good feel is only gonna go up from here.” He said during the postgame.
Game 2
FINAL: @WHAviators 6, @ClippersHCBL 2.
The Aviators earn a split after a great performance from Justin Coronado on the mound and timely hitting. pic.twitter.com/Un1WdEQ2T8— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 5, 2023
Westhampton, who entered the afternoon leading in the standings, didn’t take too long to get back to their winning ways when game 2 came around.
Justin Coronado would start for them against Myles Scarry for the Clippers. Coronado faced South Shore earlier in the season and gave up 4 earned in 4 innings which made him seek out revenge during a second go around.
Both the lefty Coronado and Scarry were dealing until the 4th. Ethan Toone with first and second grounded a ball to second that seemed to be routine, however the ball took a unusual hop and got to the outfield to score Marmo and break the scoreless tie to give the Aviators their first lead of the day. The Clippers responded with a Forde double to set the table as leadoff man in the inning, he went to third on a wild pitch, then a Ryan Thompson sac fly tied the game.
Midway through the 5th Westhampton is ahead once again 4-1. RBIs from Lou Martineau, Greg Marmo, and Tyler Smith gives the Aviators their biggest lead today. pic.twitter.com/NcRUEuNQu7
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 5, 2023
Westhampton grabbed the lead right back by scoring 3 runs in the following inning. A Lou Martineau RBI groundout put them back in front, then Marmo and Smith provided RBI base knocks to reinforce the lead to 4-1.
The Aviators grabbed a couple more in the 7th, Luke Mistone came on and finished the game off in place of Coronado in the frame to finalize a 6-2 Westhampton victory.
With the point system in the Hamptons League, the Aviators now sit at 22 points after 18 games played with the Clippers right behind them with 21 points after 19 games played. With every team playing 36 games, at the midway point things seem to be very close at the top of the standings.
