Final: Plainview JFK 4, Oceanside 1
WP: Mike D’Ambrosio (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 6 Ks)
S: Anthony PowersD’Ambrosio also had an RBI double
Alex Reifer had 2 hits and 2 RBIs pic.twitter.com/Rspj1QsotX— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 1, 2024
With the way 2023 ended for Plainview JFK, they will not be satisfied until the final out is recorded and they are crowned County Champs. That doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy some victories along the way – as they defeated a tough Oceanside team, 4-1, with their ace Mike D’Ambrosio on the hill.
The Hofstra-commit, who was named First Team Preseason All-Long Island came out of the gate firing, striking out three hitters in the first two innings that he breezed through.
He was opposed by southpaw Patrick Pallentino. He was impressive in his own right, navigating through a loaded Plainview lineup, keeping them off the board for the first two innings despite some traffic on the bases. He worked around a one-out error in the first inning and two singles in the second inning to strand the runners on.
Plainview broke through in the third inning. Leadoff hitter Ryan Kurre singled and moved to second on a two-out walk drawn by Queens-commit Peter Buonogias. Alex Reifer came through in a big way with a two-run double to right field although he was thrown out attempting to stretch to a triple.
Working with a 2-0 lead and D’Ambrosio on the hill, Plainview had every reason to be confident. Oceanside, however, is not a team that will lay down.
Mid 3: Oceanside loads the bases but D’Ambrosio freezes Villella with a breaking ball for strike three
Plainview 0, Oceanside 0 pic.twitter.com/AwFVdltM7c
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 1, 2024
Oceanside threatened to score in the third inning when they drew two walks and got a single from eight-hole hitter Ryan Piccola to load the bases for All-County junior 3B Luke Villella. D’Ambrosio was able to freeze him with a breaking ball on the outside corner to end the inning.
Both teams traded zeros in the fourth inning , although Oceanside got two runners on again. This time, a fly out to center ended the scoring threat.
In the top of the fifth, Oceanside got on the board on an RBI single by Jack Regan to score Kyle Scheurer. A critical moment happened in the next at bat when Villella appeared to rip a double inside the third base line but the umpire ruled it foul. Rather than runners on second and third with 1 out, Villella then grounded out to SS for the second out of the inning and the next batter grounded out to end the jam and keep it 2-1 in favor of Plainview.
Mid 6: Anthony Powers strands the bases loaded with a ground out to short
Plainview JFK 4, Oceanside 1 pic.twitter.com/LaGgkdrNQP
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 1, 2024
In the bottom of the fifth, Plainview got those runs back on a sacrifice fly by Sebastian Lippman and an RBI double by D’Ambrosio to left center.
D’Ambrosio’s day on the mound was done after 5 inning, striking out six and yielding just the one run. He was relieved by Anthony Powers, who got into a sticky situation in the sixth inning when Oceanside loaded the bases thanks to a walk and two errors. Kyle Scheurer stepped to the plate with the tying runs on base, but he grounded out to shortstop to end the jam.
With the sun going down and daylight waning, Plainview loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth on hits by Sawyer Bogarty, Jake Gruttadauria and a walk by Ryan Kurre. Lippman struck out to end the inning and keep the score at 4-1.
Powers went back out for the seventh and wasted no time, setting the side down in order 1-2-3.
With the victory, Plainview improves to 3-1 on the season. They will be back in action (weather pending) today against Massapequa, who is coming off a rare loss to East Meadow.
