by Max Edelman
FINAL: South Side 11 – Kennedy 5
A five run sixth inning gives South Side the win, as they take the first of three games between the two teams. pic.twitter.com/CFCJQtcRix
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 29, 2024
The South Side Cyclones came back from an early 3-0 deficit to defeat the Kennedy Cougars, 11-5, at home. In a rare Monday morning matchup, the Cyclones combined for 11 hits, scoring two or more runs in four of the six innings they came to the plate.
It was Matt Arnott on the mound as the starter for the Cyclones, but he was unable to start strong as the Cougars took the early lead in the first inning. After Brady Callahan singled to open the game, he would eventually travel all across the diamond, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Gavin Donoghue. One batter later, Griffin King doubled the Kennedy lead. The Cougars would go up three in the top of the second on a Jack Bodkin sacrifice fly. After an inning and a half, Kennedy held a commanding 3-0 lead.
The starter on the mound for the Cougars was Zach Adelstein. After a clean first inning for Adelstein, the Cyclones were able to put their first runs on the board in the second. With men on second and third, South Side’s Nick Johnson hit a grounder to second, but a poor throw to first allowed both runners to score as the Cyclones cut the lead to one. In the bottom of the third the Cyclones tied the game on a Aidan Medeiros walk, and took their first lead of the game on a AJ Magaraci sacrifice fly.
That lead wouldn’t last long however, as in the top of the fourth, Cougars’ freshman superstar Ryan Yormack hit a towering solo home run to left field to draw the game back even. While the Cougars were able to add another run in the inning to take a 5-4 lead, that would be the final run they scored, as they went on to surrender the next six unanswered.
Magarici brought in the tying run in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI triple, and scored as the go ahead run on an Magaraci sacrifice fly. After a scoreless top of the sixth, South Side entered the bottom half of the penultimate frame hoping to insure their lead, and they did just that. The Cyclones scored five runs in the inning, highlighted by a Scott Bernabeu two RBI single. The Cyclones closed out the game in the top of the seventh, putting the finishing touches on a series opening victory.
Our @GCsports player of the game was South Side third baseman Aidan Medeiros! Medeiros came through with a pair of doubles for his team in an 11-5 win over Kennedy! pic.twitter.com/aPUd9gto4t
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 29, 2024
South Side starter Arnott was able to settle in after a rough start. In 4.1 innings, Arnott struck out five and allowed four earned runs on five hits. Arnott was relieved in the fifth by Bernabeu, who tossed 2.2 innings of shutout baseball. Bernabeu struck out four and was the winning pitcher for the Cyclones. For the Cougars. Adelstein was only able to make it through 2.1 innings before being replaced by Cenzo Ceravelli, who was the losing pitcher.
The two teams will face off once again tomorrow, with the series shifting to Kennedy for the second of three cruciall meetings this week before the two teams that could determine Nassau Conference AA-3.
