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Good Pitching and Defense Leads to a 2-2 Tie for B1 Ghost Parise and Long Island Empire

by John Sullivan

With playoffs starting in under a week, every game is so meaningful, but Friday afternoon’s matchup was especially big for the Long Island Empire, who were hanging on to the last spot in the playoffs. They went up against B1 Ghost Parise, who held the third spot in the standings, and were looking to build momentum towards a playoff run. 

B1 decided to give the ball to a familiar face, Zach Jeshiva. Jeshiva was Axcess Baseball Player of the Game just last week for his performance on the mound against Showtime Legacy, and he continued to impress in the first inning of this one. He retired Empire 1-2-3 on a strikeout and two groundouts. Empire starting pitcher AJ Taranto responded to Jeshiva in the bottom of the first with a 1-2-3 inning of his own, finishing it off with a fastball on the black to catch Jake Burlock looking. 

Joseph Lentini got the second inning started with a base hit into left field, but was forced out at second after Aidan Hauer grounded into a fielder’s choice. Zach Jeshiva then got Vincenzo Caccavo and Luca Lentini to pop out for a scoreless top of the second. The bottom of the second started with a weak line out from Owen Murray, and then PJ Campagnuolo reached base on a single into center. With one out, Campagnuolo took off on a steal attempt, and Curtis ripped a line drive, but unfortunately it was right at the shortstop and it resulted in a 6-3 double play to end the inning. 

Jeshiva didn’t have a clean start to the third, as he walked the first two batters he faced. Luckily for B1, Jeshiva settled down very well and quickly got two huge strikeouts. With two outs, Empire put on a double steal and B1’s catcher threw it over the third baseman’s head for a run! After the mishap, Jeshiva stopped the bleeding and got Dominic Bosco to pop out. 

B1 was clearly eager to get their run back in the bottom half of third, as Nolan O’Toole and Dylan Mchugh started the inning with back to back hard hit singles to set up first and third. After McHugh stole second, Joseph Damiano did a job and grounded to second for an RBI and to advance McHugh. Zachary Jeshiva then came through at the dish with a bloop single for a run and the 2-1 lead. After Jeshiva’s at bat, AJ Taranto settled down and got a popout and strikeout to get out of the inning only trailing by 1. 

Similar to B1 in the third, Empire now seemed eager to get a run back. Joseph Lentini led off the inning with a single and a stolen base. B1 then decided to bring in Luke Lee in relief and the first batter he faced was Aidan Hauer, who came through with a hard hit single that went through the legs of the left fielder. This allowed Lentinti to score, but Hauer was cut down trying to get to third base on the play. Lee then got two quick outs to keep the game tied. In the bottom of the fourth, Jake Burlock led off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout to first from Owen Murray. With the go-ahead run in scoring position, AJ Taranto continued to make great pitches and got both PJ Campagnuolo and John Curtis to fly out and keep the game tied at 2. 

Luke Lee started the fifth with another quick out, but gave up a single to Dan Benedetto with one out. After a Gio Cirotti fly out, Lucian Roman ripped a base hit, and AJ Taranto worked a walk to load the bases for three batter, Dominic Bosco. With a chance to take the lead, Luke Lee made a good pitch, and got Bosco to ground out to short. In the bottom half of the inning, AJ Taranto made quick work of the first batter, but walked Dylan McHugh. Taranto then induced a popout from Joseph Damiano, and displayed a great pickoff move to first that caught McHugh for the third out. 

Still pitching in a tie game, Luke Lee looked great in the top of the sixth. He forced both Joseph Lentini and Aidan Hauer to pop out, and he followed that up with a strikeout of Vinny Caccavo for the 1-2-3 inning. AJ Taranto also started off his sixth inning of work smoothly, notching a strikeout on Luke Lee and inducing a pop out from Jojo Basile. With two outs, Micheal Desiderio ripped a single, and stole both second and third to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. After a Jake Burlock walk, B1 tried to put on a play to get Burlock caught in a rundown so Desiderio could score, but the execution was poor and it resulted in Desiderio being tagged out at third. The game was tied heading into the seventh and final inning. 

Needing a run, Empire was in great position after working three straight one out walks in the top of the seventh. Empire’s leadoff batter Lucian Roman then came to the plate and put a ball in play, but Nolan O’Toole made the play at short and cut the go-ahead run down at home for the second out. With two outs, the game tied, and bases loaded, starting pitcher AJ Taranto had the bat in his hand with a chance to help himself in a very big way. Unfortunately for Empire, Taranto didn’t come through at the plate, as he flew out into center to keep the game tied. 

Taranto would quickly have to brush off his big out though, as he came out for his seventh inning of work on the mound. Luckily for Empire, Taranto did just that and got a strikeout to start the inning. PJ Campagnuolo followed up with a big single and stolen base. B1 had two outs to get Campagnuolo home and win the ballgame. But, as Taranto did all day, he continued to get outs in clutch spots and caught John Curtis looking at a pitch on the black for out number two. Nolan O’Toole stepped up the dish for B1, needing just a single. Off the bat, O’Toole’s rip sounded promising, but Empire’s centerfielder was in perfect position to make the catch and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.

It was seven innings of great baseball from both sides, but there was one performance that stood out amongst the rest. AJ Taranto executed all day for Empire, pounding the zone and mixing it up with a nasty curveball. He also displayed incredible toughness on the mound in difficult situations. After the game, we spoke with him about his performance and his ability to pitch in jams.