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Sophomore’s Heroics Lead Bayport-Blue Point Over Center Moriches

by Trevor Dugan

Thursday afternoon at Moriches Athletic Complex, sophomore catcher Ben Sthuler of Bayport-Blue Point, in the first game of his varsity career, came through with a go ahead grand slam in the top of the seventh to lift the Phantoms over Center Moriches 6-4 in one of the clutchest moments of 2026 thus far. 

The dramatic victory must have been extra sweet for Bayport-Blue Point, as it comes on the heels of a 22-2 defeat at the hands of Center Moriches on Tuesday. 

The visiting Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms started senior RHP Liam Phillips on the mound. Starting opposite him for the Center Moriches Red Dragons was sophomore RHP Alex Foster. Both starters pitched deep into the game; Foster tossed five innings of two-run ball with nine strikeouts and three hits allowed, while Phillps pitched into the sixth, allowing three runs on four hits. 

Foster had some bad luck in the top of the first, surrendering an unearned run when the Phantoms’ third baseman sailed a throw over his first baseman’s head, allowing Aidan Richman, who reached base on a hit by pitch, to score the game’s first run. Bayport-Blue Point’s 1-0 lead didn’t last long however, as Center Moriches scored twice in the bottom of the first. A bases loaded walk by Foster and a sacrifice bunt by Richie Roberts made it 2-1 Center Moriches heading into the second inning. 

After a tumultuous first inning for both starters, they each settled in nicely and put up consecutive scoreless frames in the second and third innings. Foster had his strikeout stuff working from his first pitch, racking up five strikeouts in just the first three innings. The sophomore showed exceptional command of a bendy curveball that had hitters fooled all afternoon. 

It wasn’t until the fourth inning that either team would score again. The Phantoms staged a two out rally in the top of the fourth after Foster sat down the first two batters of the inning. Phillips was hit by a pitch with two outs, then advanced to second on a single by leadoff man Colin Most. Phillips was driven home on an RBI single by shortstop Aidan Richman, tying the game at 2-2. 

After scoring the tying run, Phillips came back out for the bottom of the fourth and pitched a shutdown inning, retiring the side and preserving the 2-2 tie. 

The top of the fifth would be the final inning of work for the Red Dragons’ Foster. The sophomore recorded his eighth and ninth strikeouts to finish his day, and was in line to be the winning pitcher after Center Moriches took the lead in the bottom of the fifth.

A mistake by Phillips in the bottom of the fifth allowed Center Moriches to score in an unorthodox way. Max Rayburn led the inning off for Center Moriches with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, then came in to score when Phillips was called for a balk. The frustrated right-hander could only watch as Rayburn happily jogged to home plate and put his team back on top. The Red Dragons took their slim 3-2 lead into the sixth inning. 

Freshman RHP Charlie Edwards entered in relief for Center Moriches to begin the sixth. After giving up a leadoff single to Phillips, Edwards struck out the next batter then forced a 6-4-3 double play to end his shutdown inning. 

Bayport-Blue Point made a pitching change in their half of the sixth as well. After Phillips recorded the first out, he was replaced with the shortstop Richman, who finished off the scoreless sixth and sent the Phantoms back to the plate to chase a come from behind victory. 

Edwards stayed on the mound for Center Moriches in the top of the seventh and quickly got himself into a pickle. The freshman walked the first two batters of the inning, then threw a wild pitch, allowing both runners to move into scoring position with nobody out. Edwards sat the next two batters down, then walked Ryan Kloss to load the bases for the sophomore Stuhler. 

It’s hard to imagine a more pressure packed situation than the one Stuhler found himself in during his first game at the varsity level. Trailing by one with the bases loaded and two men out, Stuhler entered the box 0-3 on the day with a chance to be a hero. The young catcher did not miss his chance, launching a towering grand slam over the left field fence to give Bayport-Blue Point a 6-3 lead. 

Not one spectator, coach, or player remained seated after the homer. Stuhler’s teammates gathered around home plate, bursting with excitement as they waited to congratulate the sophomore on his unbelievable first career hit. He was mobbed as soon as his foot touched the dish. Like something out of a Mike Lupica novel, it’s a moment no witnesses are likely to forget any time soon. 

“It felt great, I didn’t even feel the ball to be honest, I just smashed it,” Stuhler told Axcess following his first varsity game. “I was a little nervous for my first time, but my teammates picked me up, and I felt comfortable playing.” 

Following the insanity that was the top of the seventh, Richman returned to the mound to close out the game for Bayport-Blue Point. Center Moriches was able to scratch across one more run on an RBI single by RF Mike Huisman, but their rally came up short as Richman finished off the Phantoms’ 6-4 victory with a strikeout. 

With the win, Bayport-Blue Point improves to 4-1 on the season. This marks the first loss of the season for Center Moriches, dropping their record to 4-1. The two schools will wrap up their three game series Friday April 10 at Bayport-Blue Point High School. 

NOTABLES: 

(BBP) C Ben Stuhler: 1-4, GS, 4 RBI, 1 R

(BBP) SS/P Aidan Richman: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1.2 IP, S

(CM) P Alex Foster: 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 9 K

(CM) RF Mike Huisman: 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 R, BB