by Trevor Dugan
Commack bats around in the top of the first and plates five runs to take an early lead.
Nate Montaldo and Ryan Bush knocked in the the Cougars’ first two runs with a pair of RBI singles
Commack 5 – Sachem North O
Mid first pic.twitter.com/GjBKHvohyG— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 30, 2026
After a low-scoring 2-0 win over Sachem North to begin their season, Commack dominated from start to finish Monday afternoon, earning an 11-1 run rule victory over Sachem North in five innings to improve to 2-0 in 2026.
SP Dean Kirschbaum was excellent for the Cougars, allowing just one earned run on two hits over five innings of work. Starting on the mound for Sachem North was Jared Liepa, who ran into some early trouble in the top of the first.
Commack sophomore Cooper Schramm led the game off with a double, and came around to score on an RBI single by CF Nate Montaldo to give the Cougars an immediate lead. Schramm is one of five sophomores on a very young Commack team that has just one senior in the starting lineup.
Montaldo would score with two outs in the first on an RBI single by Ryan Bush. First baseman Cole Maurer added to the lead with an RBI double, his first of two on the day, to extend the Commack lead even further. The Cougars would score four runs with two outs in the top of the first, batting around and taking a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the frame.
Kirschbaum took the mound for Commack in the bottom of the first and delivered a shutdown inning. Two batter Jacob Tonnies got himself on base with a one-out single to left field, and stole second to get into scoring position. However, he was caught in no man’s land between second and third when Commack second baseman Nick Schumacher snagged a screamer of a line drive and doubled him up to end the first.
The Cougars’ bats stayed hot in the bottom of the second as they scored six more runs, chasing Sachem North starter Liepa and taking a commanding double digit lead. After a HBP to begin the inning, Schumacher doubled home a run, then Maurer did the same for the second time in as many innings, bringing the lead to 8-0. Commack would hammer two more RBI doubles in the inning, and led 11-0 after two.
Commack first baseman Cole Maurer is our @GetGameChanger player of the game after hitting two RBI doubles in the Cougars’ mercy rule victory. pic.twitter.com/BcNfauBF58
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 30, 2026
Sachem North would get their first run on the board in the bottom of the second after Quinn Fiene singled to lead off the inning and came around to score on a fielder’s choice. But, Kirschbaum stranded two runners on base with a pair of groundouts to stop the Arrows’ rally short and keep Commack’s lead at 11-1.
RHP Ricky Thestrup entered in relief for Sachem North in the top of the third, and gave his team some much needed scoreless frames. The senior retired the first six batters he faced, completely quenching a Commack offense that had been on fire for the first two innings, and surrendered no runs over his three innings pitched.
On the other side however, Kirschbaum remained locked in, matching Thestrup and keeping Sachem North off the board for the remainder of the game. The RHP forced nine groundouts over five innings and allowed just two fly balls, pitching to contact while showing great control of his pitches and not walking a single batter.
The Commack SP finished off his shortened complete game with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth, earning Commack an 11-1 mercy rule win for their second win of the year and a series win over Sachem North. The Cougars lineup was nearly unstoppable to begin the game, with all nine starters reaching base at least once in the first two innings. It was a much needed breakout after their offensive struggles in game one.
Sachem North falls to 0-2 on the young season after their defeat Monday. The two western Suffolk schools will meet for their series finale Tuesday March 31 at Commack High School.