by Mike Merolle
B1: Jayden Loccisano makes it 3-0 on an RBI double. Plainedge grounded in a run as well to make it 4-0 in the first inning. pic.twitter.com/NlBs3SkmDQ
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 26, 2024
The Plainedge Red Devils arrived at their home field on Friday for another game on their schedule but this one had a special meaning. It was senior night which is an annual tradition where the senior players are honored before and after the game.
“It’s a great night for our seniors to come together for the last senior night of their career. Let’s have a good time, have some fun,” said Santino Battista, Plainedge’s senior arm.
The Mepham Pirates rolled in hopes of capturing another win in the win column but were unsuccessful as Plainedge won 8-4.
Battista was on his game on the mound for the Red Devils as he had eight strikeouts before being pulled in the fifth inning. Mepham’s Tom Wilderman had a good outing with five strikeouts through three innings.
“I’m feeling confident on the mound pounding the zone, just throwing strikes,” said Battista.
After Battista and the Red Devil defense sat down Mepham in the first, the Plainedge bats put their mark on the scoresheet quickly in the bottom of the first. Nick Gerardi started with a single and Matt Rosenberg followed with a double. Nick Miller drove in Gerardi on an RBI double and Jayden Loccisano cleared the bases with a two-run double. Plainedge grounded in another run to make it a four-run inning.
“We got a couple of guys on early in the game. I was looking for a fastball to drive and I did that. I put a ball in the gap for 2 RBIs,” said Loccisano.
Battista and Wilderman were lights out in the second and third inning as each had four strikeouts. However, Mepham got a run on the board in the top of the fourth. Kieran Kehoe hit a solo home run to right center field making it 4-1 Plainedge.
In the bottom of the frame, Plainedge’s Tom Asario hit a sacrifice fly but Mepham’s Jake Piazza matched the run with an RBI triple in the top of the fifth. In Plainedge’s half of the inning, James Kass laid a sacrifice bunt to make it 6-2.
B6: Zach Rosenzweig hits an RBI single with the bases loaded. Following that, a double play by Mepham allowed another Plainedge run to cross making it 8-2 Plainedge. pic.twitter.com/LXslnh9tJ5
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 27, 2024
After the bases were loaded in the bottom of the sixth, Plainedge’s Zach Rosenzweig blooped an RBI single in right field. Following the run, a double play was successfully made by the Mepham defense but a run scored in the process making it 8-2.
Mepham drove in two runs in the top of the seventh but Plainedge’s Nick Williams closed the Pirates out on the mound.
