by Aaron Diaz
Bridgehampton 4
Port Jefferson 2Bridgehampton wins the Suffolk Class C/D Title
Scott Vinski complete game 8 strikeouts 2 runs and 4 hits allowed
He also broke 2-2 tie in top 7 with 2 out 2 RBI single
They will face winner of Babylon-Center Moriches for Conference 5 title pic.twitter.com/d1ZYBPvRut
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 23, 2023
After a 43 year hiatus from high school baseball, it was an impressive second year in the league for Bridgehampton. They made a trip to the Class D Regional Championship and they have their eye set on the prize in the 2024 season.
The Killer Bees finished with an overall record of 10-9 and a league record of 9-6. Their season came to an end with a loss to Chapel Field in the Class D Regional Championships, 2-0.
“We used that game as a great tool to learn from,” said Bridgehampton head coach Lou Liberatore.” We had a young team last year and we still have a young team. But getting them that experience and playing in that game against an excellent Chapel Field team that would go on top to win a state title. To have our guys hungry to get back to the spot this year and get over that hump has been helping us in the offseason.”
The 2024 Bridgehampton team will feature some new players but return some familiar faces, starting with All-County and League MVP Milo Tompkins on their side.
League MVP Milo Tompkins
Tompkins put up a year to remember playing on both sides of the plate as a pitcher and catcher. He batted .583 with 35 hits, 10 extra-base hits, and three home runs while drawing 20 walks and stealing 16 bases including a .683 OBP. From the mound, Tompkins will be pitching as their third starter.
“Milo is our lone senior on the team, our captain last year and our captain this year,” Liberatore said. “He’s an example of just doing the right things as a teammate and player. He broke out the scene last year and won league MVP. He’s put on another 10-15 pounds of muscle, he’s a big dude, he’s athletic, he’s fast. I also think he’s going to play a big role on the mound for us as well. We’re excited to roll him out this spring.”
However, the biggest offseason agenda was to fill in their pitching staff. The team lost two of their biggest pitchers, twin brothers Kris and Scott Vinski.
“The area we addressed as a team was pitching,” Liberatore said. “We lost two of our really good seniors last year in Kris and Scott Vinski. We are looking for guys like Milo Tompkins, Alexi Kardaras, and Elliott McGonegal to step up and pitch big innings for us this year. It’s just the next guy up now, we’ve been working hard with the pitching staff to fill up those spots in the rotation.”
Scott and Kris tallied up innings for Bridgehampton in 2023. Scott, who was an All-League lefthanded pitcher, compiled a 1.05 ERA, striking out 44 batters in 40 innings pitched for the squad. After graduation, Scott took his talents to St Joseph’s University-Brooklyn.
Kris Vinski, who was also an All-League pitcher for Bridgehampton secured a 3.56 ERA in 41 innings pitched with 48 strikeouts on the season.
Liberatore will look to sophomore Kai Alversa to step in for the team at the top of the rotation.
Alversa will get the nod for every first game. Alversa showed up in his freshman year pitching his way to an All-League nod with a 3.15 ERA in 27 innings pitched with 28 strikeouts on the season. Liberatore has a lot of confidence in Alversa riding into 2024.
“I feel very confident lining up Kai against any pitcher in our league,” Liberatore said. “He is a bulldog who is one of the most prepared pitchers I have ever coached. If we have to win one game, he’s going to get the ball.”
Tompkins will get every third game as the team’s power arm, who can throw his fastball in the low 80s with a slider as his secondary pitch. Junior Alexi Kardaras and freshman Eliott McGonegal will fight for the number two spot in the rotation.
Milo Tompkins pitches for Bridgehampton as the Killer Bees took on the Greenport Porters at Bridgehampton on Wednesday, April 13th, 2022
As much as pitching is a factor in games, so is hitting and the Killer Bees continue to build on their offensive production. Bridgehampton will have six returners in the lineup from last season. Catcher Milo Tompkins, junior RF Shawn Gynp, Junior CF Ari Karadaras, junior 3B Alexi Kardaras, 1B Alversa and sophomore SS Tate Foard.
Tate Foard will be the table setter, hoping to get on base for Tompkins. In his freshman year, Foard hit .305 with 22 RBIs, an OBP of .431 and tallied 13 stolen bases. He will bat leadoff for the team this season.
“When building a defense, the thing for us is strength up the middle, we want to be strong at the catching position, on the mound, shortstop, second base and center field. Then we fill up the other pieces. We feel like that is our area of strength, so we feel like we’re excited about our lineup as we look to take that next step this spring.”
Liberatore added second basemen, Chris Heo, who will be a player that will be utilized up the middle defensively but put some production in the lineup. Heo played in Chesire Academy in Connecticut in 2023.
The team assembled is filled with youth that many teams on the island never or rarely put together but that doesn’t phase Liberatore as he continues to put his team together.
“The great thing about baseball is age doesn’t determine your abilities,” Liberatore said. “We use freshmen through seniors and to help us win baseball games, we merge with the Ross School and it’s just been a really good mesh. There are a lot of hardcore baseball guys just looking to come together and work towards winning a championship. Everyone gets treated the same and I think that’s with the culture and leadership within the team.”
Liberatore had a few words to say as the countdown to the 2024 season ticks by the day.
“If we do what is right every day, then everything will take care of itself,” Liberatore explained. “Our job is to get better every day and we’ll like where we come out in late May.”
Bridgehampton opens up their season on March 25 going up against the Stony Brook School on the road in a two-game series.
