by Tucker Terranova
Ryan Pisciotti and Coach Fanelli discuss LI Elite’s 17-0 win. pic.twitter.com/4Z3n1DGfMg
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 25, 2024
Game 2 of our coverage of EYCB Memorial Day Clash opening night at Eisenhower Park featured a 13u matchup between the LI Jr. Ducks and LI Elite Fanelli, with both squads looking to start the weekend off in the win column.
From the start of the game, Elite took control and ran with it. Anchored by a seven-run first inning, an astonishing 19 stolen bases, and a solid performance on the mound from Ryan Pisciotti, Elite took their tournament opener by a score of 17-0.
“They all hit the ball hard, and our pitching did pretty well,” Coach Fanelli said in a postgame interview with Axcess Baseball.
In the top of the first inning, Piscoitti kickstarted the game for Elite with a single, followed by stealing both second and third base. Gavigan earned a free pass and also stole a base, putting two runners in scoring position for Caruso, who then hit a sacrifice fly, granting Elite a 1-0 lead.
They didn’t stop there, seemingly ending the game before the Ducks could even step up to bat. Lucas Sweeting, Micah Tramantano, Vinny McGuire, and Tommy Hartmann contributed RBIs with hits, while Grayson McCauley and Carson Terriberry added RBIs with bases-loaded walks. In total, Elite provided their starter with seven runs of support before he even took the mound.
Tramantano adds a single, 3-0 Elite pic.twitter.com/kXaXqWj0S0
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 25, 2024
“Having an early lead helped me to get ahead and focus on throwing strikes,” said Pisciotti.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Ducks managed to get two baserunners via free passes, but Pisciotti neutralized the threat by striking out the next two batters, preserving the 7-0 lead.
Elite continued to add to their lead in the top of the second inning. Sweeting started the scoring with an RBI single, tallying his second RBI of the evening. Tramantano then executed a perfectly timed suicide squeeze, earning his second RBI of the game as well.
Sweeting subsequently came around to score on a wild pitch, making the lead double digits. Jack Robins followed by ripping a single to make it 11-0, and McCauley made it a dozen with a groundout to bring home Robins.
Sweeting subsequently scored on a wild pitch, extending the lead to double digits. Jack Robins then ripped a single to make it 11-0, and McCauley added another run with a groundout, bringing home Robins to make it a dozen.
After a pitching change for the Ducks, Hartmann added an RBI single, making it 13-0 Elite.
The Ducks loaded the bases with one away in the bottom of the second, looking to crack the scoreboard.
However, Pisciotti escaped the jam, retiring the next two batters on a fly out to short and a strikeout looking.
By the end of the third inning, Elite had made it 17-0 and the game was called for the mercy rule.
“If we continue to play well, we can beat anybody,” Coach Fanelli told Axcess Baseball. “We just need to stay at this level.”
