by Max Edelman
It’s a GRAND SLAM for Jason Berthel! He puts the Vikings back on top.
Seaford leads 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth. pic.twitter.com/GZkbdXaa3T
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 11, 2024
The Seaford Vikings used a Jason Berthel grand slam to fuel them to a 5-3 victory over the Cold Spring Harbor Seahawks. Down 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Berthel sent a towering fly ball over the left-center field fence to give his Vikings a 5-3 lead, a lead they would never relinquish en route to a home victory.
The Vikings were the team to strike first, as after Dylan Alt doubled to lead off the game, and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Luke Walsh. Walsh had a solid day at the plate, going two for three with a stolen base to go along with the sacrifice fly he had in the opening frame.
After the Vikings scored the opening run, there was no scoring in the second inning. Through the opening two innings, Alt, the Vikings starting pitcher, dominated, striking out four of the first seven batters he faced. However, Cold Spring Harbor was finally able to get to Alt in the third inning. After Matt Learner reached base on an error, Alt was able to record two straight outs before Matt Gileno came to the plate, where he delivered a two-run home run to give the Seahawks a 2-1 lead. One inning later, the Seahawks would add to that lead, when Lukas Sheridan opened the third with a double and was eventually brought home on an RBI single by Learner to give his team a 3-1 lead.
Unfortunately for the Seahawks, those were the only runs they would manage, as men left on base was an issue for them, as they left seven men on base in the six-inning game. Unlike the Seahawks, the Vikings came through with men on base in the fourth inning, with the bases loaded by Berthel and connected on a grand slam. Which made the score 5-3. Berthel was one for three in the contest, but his hit came when the Vikings needed a spark, and he provided the spark they so desperately needed.
For the Vikings, Alt led the team reaching base in all three of his at-bats. Anthony Jones, Matthew Kind, and Thomas Apollo each reached base twice in the game.
The game came down to the top of the sixth inning when Jordan Cassuto moved from designated hitter to the mound in hopes of getting the save for his team. After opening the inning with a strikeout, an error, and a hit by pitch put runners on first and second with only one out, both runners would advance into scoring position after a wild pitch. But Cassuto came through, striking out the next two batters he faced, including Seahawks leadoff hitter, Carter Henvey who he struck out looking to end the game.
Seahawks pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts. Which counted for 13 of their 18 outs. Cold Spring Harbor only was able to collect six strikeouts in the contest. Speaking of six, the Seahawks also hit six batters in the game, which was a major reason why so many Vikings were able to reach base.
The win by the Seahawks concluded a three-game series between the two teams.
