by Trevor Dugan
The 15u Titans and the MXE Academy Giac Squad split their doubleheader on Sunday at Joe Nathan Field in Stony Brook. Both teams were playing their first games of the Boys of Summer season.
Axcess spoke to coach Joe Giacomantonio and Jefferson Biener after their victory over the Titans @liboysofsummer pic.twitter.com/LqPT5FCbGA
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 2, 2024
GAME ONE
The first game of the day featured two starting pitchers who look to be in mid-season form right away. For the Titans it was Tiger Brew, who pitched a complete game, allowing just one earned run and striking out eight batters.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first, the Titans offense gave Brew some early run support. With two runners on, third baseman Matthew Chinn ripped a triple down the right field line to clear the bases in his first at bat of the season. He finished the game 2-3 with 2 RBIs.
Chinn would come in to score on an RBI groundout, giving the Titans a 3-0 lead after one.
From that point on, it was a pitchers duel. MXE starter Jefferson Biener settled in nicely after a rough first inning. He pitched a solid 4.2 innings, allowing four runs and striking out five Titans while walking none.
After a scoreless second inning, MXE was able to get one back in the bottom of the third. With runners on the corners Luke Giglio hit into a fielder’s choice to score the runner from third, cutting the Titans lead to 3-1.
This was the only run allowed by Brew on the day.
In the top of the fourth, the Titans were threatening with a man on second. However, with two outs the runner was caught trying to steal third base on an excellent throw by MXE catcher Leo Alesia. It would remain a 3-1 game.
Unfortunately for MXE, despite their stellar pitching and defense in game one, they simply could not touch the Titans’ starter Brew. Each time it looked as though MXE may get a rally started, Brew calmly worked his way out of trouble. He allowed just two hits and two walks over seven innings of work.
In the fifth, the Titans added an insurance run on a perfectly executed safety squeeze laid down by Tyler Neal to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
Brew would go on to pitch a 1-2-3 sixth, and then finish it off in the seventh inning to give the Titans their first win of the summer season, 4-1 over MXE.
GAME TWO
MXE Academy Giac Squad gets it done in game two against the Titans
FINAL: MXE 10 – Titans 3 @liboysofsummer pic.twitter.com/pMwnXIbZow— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) June 2, 2024
The second game of Sunday’s Boys of Summer doubleheader featured much more offense, as the MXE bats woke up and scored 10 runs after mustering just one in the first game.
The Titans sent out the lefty Tommy Okpych to start game two, while MXE went with the RHP Rohan Khanna.
MXE struck first this time around when Giglio drove in a run on his first inning groundout, making it 1-0. It was Giglio’s second RBI of the day.
But the Titans quickly answered in the bottom of the first. With two runners on, first baseman Bryce Valls tied the game up with an RBI single. The Titans then took the lead as a run came in on a fielder’s choice, making it 2-1 at the end of the first.
Just like in game one however, the MXE starting pitcher performed very well after a rocky first inning. Khanna showed improved control after two first inning walks, and was getting hitters to ground out with ease.
Neither offense made much noise as Khanna and Okpych traded back to back scoreless frames, until the fourth inning. With a runner on third Titans shortstop Joel Munoz ripped a line drive to center field, pushing the Titan lead to 3-1.
In the top of the fifth the MXE offense finally came alive. Smart baserunning and a timely hit by Alesia led MXE to score three runs to take their first lead of either game at 4-3.
Khanna was relieved in the bottom of the fifth by the lefty Jack Lyke. He held the Titans scoreless over the final two innings, doing his part to help MXE hold onto their lead.
In the top of the sixth, the MXE offense erupted to put the game out of reach. Five walks in the inning led to six MXE runners crossing the plate. An RBI triple by outfielder Lucas Eagleston was the nail in the coffin, clearing the bases and pushing the MXE lead to 10-3.
MXE coach Joe Giacomantonio praised his team’s patience during the offensive outburst.
“We preach a lot about plate discipline and we showed a lot of that today,” he said. “And we had a couple of timely hits.”
Unfortunately due to time constraints the game was called after just six innings. But Lyke finished the Titans off in the sixth to get the Giac Squad their first win of the young summer season.
Both teams now sit at 1-1 on the season.
The Giac Squad is back in action Tuesday night when they face Dodgers Nation Cunningham in Garden City.
