You couldn’t have had two more different ballgames in this double header.
Merrick Mayhem and Bayside Yankees split an 11u DH at Cantiague Park on Friday night with the Mayhem winning Game 1, 2-1, as Bayside Yankees got even in the night cap, 8-5, in a game that featured plenty of late-inning drama.
Final (Game 1): Merrick Mayhem 2, Bayside Yankees 1
WP: Logan Mann (CG, 1 run, 2 H, 7 Ks)Sam McManus drove in a run with an RBI single and Angel Thompkins scored on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run @EcybTournaments pic.twitter.com/xZqmkCm5Wf
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) September 22, 2023
Game 1
It was a great pitching match up between Logan Mann and Bobby McDonald.
Neither team scored in the first inning despite a leadoff single by CJ Amato of the Mayhem in the top of the first. Logan Mann fired a 1-2-3 bottom of the first with a strikeout.
In the top of the second, Mayhem got on the board when Gavin Brady led off with a walk and stole second. The following batter, Sam McManus, ripped an RBI single to center field to score Brady to give the Mayhem a 1-0 lead. It was one of only 4 hits total in the game.
The lead did not last long, however, as the Bayside Yankees sent six batters to the plate in the home half of the second – which started off with an E3 that allowed Nick Grigonis to reach safely. Back-to-back walks issues to Luke Bifulco and Jesse Baldassare was followed with an infield pop out to short for the first out of the inning. A strikeout of Kyle Peponakis was the second out of the inning, but a wild pitch allowed Grigonis to score to even the game at 1-1.
Final (Game 1): Merrick Mayhem 2, Bayside Yankees 1
WP: Logan Mann (CG, 1 run, 2 H, 7 Ks)Sam McManus drove in a run with an RBI single and Angel Thompkins scored on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run @EcybTournaments pic.twitter.com/xZqmkCm5Wf
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) September 22, 2023
Undeterred, the Mayhem answered right back in the top of the third. Angel Thompkins, who showed how dynamic he was in both of these game, walked to lead off the inning. He immediately scored second, third and scored on a wild pitch to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
From that point on, that was all the scoring as both team stranded some runners on base with a big moment coming in the home half of the fourth. The Bayside Yankees had Logan Mann on the ropes and loaded the bases with one out, but a comebacker to the mound forced the lead runner at the plate. Logan escaped the jam with a strikeout to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, the umpire announced it would be the final inning due to the impending time limit. Chase Almona led the inning off with a single and proceed to steal both second and third base to get the tying run to third with no outs. Mann showed incredible toughness as he proceed to strike out the next batter for the first out, get another comebacker which he got the runner at the plate who was going on contact, and he ended the game with a strikeout looking to secure the 2-1 victory.
Game 2
This game had a different feel to it as Bayside Yankees had control for much of the game. Mayhem did take an early 1-0 lead on a wild pitch that scored Angel Thompkins – who walked and once again stole two bases before coming around to score.
The Yankees had a big top of the second inning which was started off with a triple by Nick Grigonis. He scored on an RBI single by Jesse Baldassare, who stole second base to get himself into scoring position. Mason Carbone hit an RBI single of his own to make it 2-1 and he stole second and third as well. Danny A hit an RBI ground out to make it 3-1 in favor of the Yankees.
Top 2: Bayside Yankees have taken a 31 lead on RBI singles by Jesse Baldassare and Mason Carbone as well as an RBI ground out by Danny Acevedo pic.twitter.com/HC8V0ynNLn
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) September 23, 2023
After the Mayhem went down quietly 1-2-3 in the second inning, the Yankees’ bats went back to work. Chase Almona hit a two-out infield single to third and he came around to score on an infield single + E6 to make it 4-1.
Once again, Mayhem was retired 1-2-3 in the third inning. The Yankees had their biggest inning in the fourth when they batted around and scored four runners. They did so with two hits, as the runs scored on an RBI ground out, a fielder’s choice, an E1 and a bases loaded walk issued to Anthony Verde. With the score 8-1 and a chance to really break it open Grigonis grounded out to second base to end the inning.
Bottom 4: Merrick Mayhem has battled back, scoring 4 times in the inning and it’s 8-5 pic.twitter.com/LgBG5ndAnO
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) September 23, 2023
Mayhem did not back down. They responded by sending 10 batters to the plate in the home half of the fourth inning and scored four runs to make it an 8-5 ballgame. They had 5 walks, a HBP and a big RBI single by Spencer Ednick. They had the potential tying run on base, but Mason Spinner struck out to end the inning and keep it 8-5.
They had time for one more inning. The Yankees did not score in the top of the fifth, getting one base runner on an E6 but Danny Acevedo struck out to end the inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Mayhem was not able to mount a rally as they went down 1-2-3 to end the inning and fall by the score of 8-5.
