Final: Sachem North 8, Sachem East 1
WP: Ryan Palm (5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 7 Ks)Matt Podesta: 3-3, BB, R, 2 RBIs, 2 doubles pic.twitter.com/HaS8i91osD
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 1, 2025
Both fan bases were fired up for the season opener between district rivals, Sachem East and Sachem North. After an eventful first inning, it was all Sachem North as the 2024 Suffolk County finalists came away with an 8-1 win.
It was a terrific pitching match up between Iona-commit Jake King of East and Staten Island-commit Ryan Palm of North. In the first inning, both offenses made the starters work. Palm allowed a leadoff single to Ryan Margolis and back-to-back walks to Chris Ragona and Ryan Lane to lead the bases. Aron Brown ripped one down the line but third baseman Travis Szober made a great diving play and tagged the bag for the force out which allowed Margolis to score. Palm was able to navigate out of trouble on an infield popout and a strikeout. East did force him to throw 37 pitches.
In the home half of the first, North went to work immediately against King. Jack Pitman led off with a walk and stole second. Niko Moraitis singled and Lucas Singleton hit a sac fly to right field to score Pitman. With the runner going, Matt Podesta followed with a single to center that allowed Moraitis to come all the way around to score and make it 2-1.
Palm was able to settle into a rhyme, eventually working five innings, striking out seven and yielding five hits.
His offense continued to pile on runs throughout the game.
They added three runs in the third inning on an RBI double to right field by Podesta, a fielder’s choice off the bat of Singleton and a wild pitch that scored Podesta.
The Arrows added on three more runs in the 4th innings on another sac fly by Singleton, an RBI single by Szober and a ground out to second base to make it 8-1.
Their bullpen did the job – firing two scoreless innings to seal the deal and win the first game of this series.
Following the game, Podesta noted that they have some unfinished business and don’t plan on stopping at the County Finals.
