2023 Game Recaps
Party Like It’s 1998: Queens Captures the ECC For the First Time in 25 Years
For the first time since 1998, Queens College is the ECC Champs! They win it 9-8 in 10 innings on a walk-off pic.twitter.com/6qeecjEjAD — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 13, 2023 Despite losing on Friday and facing elimination, Queens College was able to rattle of three straight wins – including two against the two-time defending ECC Champs, Molloy, and winning their first Conference Championship in 25 years. It was a remarkable day of baseball for everyone that stuck around for both games – which includes 19 innings of baseballs and more runs than you can count. The level of difficulty for Queens College entering today was incredibly high – as they were not only entering the day fatigued from the previous two days, but they needed to face one of the best pitcher...
GAME RECAP: Lindenhurst Stuns Commack With 4-Run 7th Inning to Keep League Title Hopes Alive
Lindenhurst scores 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th and they defeat Commack 7-6 on a walk-off sac fly by Steve Hernandez pic.twitter.com/gloo0C8L9s — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 9, 2023 It’s not often that you are left speechless following a high school game, but this was one of those. The two-time reigning Suffolk Class AA Champion Commack Cougars have led League I wire-to-wire this season – even flirting with a perfect season until recently – but entered play today looking to clinch the League Title against a hungry and senior-laden Lindenhurst Bulldog team led by Stony Brook-commit Chris Carson. Leading 6-3 in the bottom of the 7th and 7-8-9 in the order coming up, things looked very safe for the Cougars as they looked to get three final outs. That last out...
GAME RECAP: Bryan Frascogna Drives in 2 Runs With Bases Loaded Hit, Josh Knoth Continues Brilliance
Final: Pat-Med 4, Longwood 0 WP: Josh Knoth (5.1 IP, 13 Ks, 0 H, 4 BBs) Frank Kentoffio: 2-R HR Bryan Frascogna: 2-R single to break scoreless tie The teams are now even in the standings pic.twitter.com/MxWzNob6uY — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 8, 2023 Simply put, when you have a potential first round draft pick on the mound, you feel pretty good about your chances to win. Even so, the Pat-Med Raiders found themselves in a 0-0 game against rival Longwood in the bottom of the third inning. Junior backstop, Bryan Frascogna, who spends most of the time doing thankless work behind the dish, took center stage and ripped a two-run single up the middle to score 2 runs. With Knoth on the mound, that was about one run more than they needed. Bryan Frascogna broke the scoreless tie with a...
GAME RECAP: Colin Crispyn, Tim Hennig Combine for 11 Ks in 2-1 Win for Wantagh
Final: Wantagh 2, North Shore 1 WP: Colin Crispyn (5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 6 Ks) Wantagh improves to 12-3 pic.twitter.com/lsEYrfeXWo — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 5, 2023 Wantagh did not qualify for the postseason last year for the first time since 1994. That one-year hiatus was a brief one as the Warriors have came storming back and are now 12-3 to begin the 2023 season. They were able to take a critical series against North Shore today by the score of 2-1 – as they displayed some of the key components to Wantagh baseball. They did face a tall order in facing hard-throwing southpaw Garret Gates on the road – and he showed what he was capable of with 9 strikeouts and just one hit allowed over 6.1 innings, but they were able to grind out at bats, draw 6 walks and ulti...
Ken Kortright State Farm Game of the Week: Gritty Clarke Overcomes 3-0 Deficit, Improves to 14-1-1 On the Season
Final: Clarke 4, Mineola 3 WP: Jarret Sarrantonio Zaim Deljanin: 2-for-3, go-ahead RBI single in fifth Clarke improved to 14-1-1 pic.twitter.com/phxiPgmxQx — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 4, 2023 If you’re going to beat Clarke, you have to take an early lead and continue to pile on and not allow them the chance to build momentum and mount a comeback as they are always capable of. Looking to salvage Game 3 of a crucial three-game series, Mineola took an early 3-0 lead on the road, but were unable to add any insurance runs which allowed the Clarke offense to overcome and ultimately complete the three-game sweep with a 4-3 win. George Neofitidis got the start for the Rams and he got into some early trouble. After retiring the first batter, Mike Duda singled to left field, and...
GAME RECAP: Evan Byrnes Continues Outstanding Season, West Islip Improves to 13-1
Mid 5: West Islip takes a 1-0 lead on a wild pitch to score Frank Romano pic.twitter.com/UkE2CdQLsd — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 3, 2023 When it comes to the term “Classic West Islip baseball”, a few things come to mind; run prevention, outstanding defense and taking advantage of the opponent’s errors. That is even true against the top teams on Long Island, as the Lions will generally find a way to force the opposition into making an error and capitalizing on it. It has allowed them to sprint out to a 13-1 start to the season and capture the first two games of a critical three-game set against Smithtown West, who were just a game back of them in the standings. West Islip came back from an early 4-0 deficit and walked it off on Monday. On Tuesday, they won a ...
GAME RECAP: Powered by 5-Run First Inning, St. Anthony’s Cruises to 11-1 Win over St. John the Baptist
Final: St. Anthony’s 11, St. John the Baptist 1 WP: Jason Decaro (6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 Ks) Kevin Baez: 2-for-4, run, 4 RBIs Jason Decaro: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB Michael Mugno: 2 RBIs pic.twitter.com/dEyxi1pVtD — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 2, 2023 When we conducted the 2023 Season Preview on St. Anthony’s, coach Paul Parsolano pointed to their exceptional starting pitching duo of Jason Decaro and Torin Kassebaum for their biggest reason for optimism heading into the season. It’s what generally carries team in the playoffs – especially if you can get one of those top two seeds and get a bye. That’s exactly what they are working for and they are currently in position to do so – with just one week remaining in the regular season. The Friars – ...
Offense Powers East Islip Over the Top Against Hauppauge
by Andy Smith East Islip 11 Hauppauge 6 WP Nick Rizzo Veltman and Kneisel both had 3RBIs for East Islip pic.twitter.com/vbD8CTeub5 — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 1, 2023 It was a cold, windy day but the offenses were hot and tallied a combined seventeen runs by a score of 11-6 with East Islip as the victor. The Eagles got to Nick Rizzo in the first inning and scored three runs off a two-run triple by first baseman Mike Oliveto, who was able to round home plate off a throwing error. The Redmen responded in the bottom half of the frame by putting up four runs to give them a one-run lead. Left fielder Thomas Costarelli got things started with a lead-off single. Then, Alex Johnston reached first, which was followed by a base on balls to Rizzo which loaded the bases. Then following...
GAME RECAP: Jace Alvino Steals the Show in 2-0 Win over Hills West
Penn State-commit Jace Alvino did it all today as he fired a 2-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and also drove in the game’s only runs in the sixth inning of West Babylon’s 2-0 victory over Hills West @GCsports pic.twitter.com/7uejr5LubQ — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 1, 2023 Entering this series against Hills West, West Babylon knew the task at hand – sweep and win League 5. Hills West entered with a record of 12-2 and they always throw their ace, Clemson-commit Justin LeGuernic, on Mondays. Coach Victor Manzella countered with his ace, Penn State-commit Jace Alvino. He was up to the task. Alvino not only outdueled LeGuernic, but he was responsible for the game’s only runs as he ripped a clutch, two-run single up the middle in the top of the sixth inning to break the...
GAME RECAP: Nicholas DelVecchio Goes 4-for-4, Gabe Klarikaitis Pitches Well, Holy Trinity Wins 5-3
Nick DelVecchio went 4-for-4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored out of the leadoff spot for Holy Trinity in the 5-3 win over Kellenberg @GCsports pic.twitter.com/0Lpb3v7ZAx — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 26, 2023 Coming off yesterday’s 2-1 loss at the hands of Wake Forest-commit Andrew Koshy, Holy Trinity knew they needed to do some home cooking as they look to play for a bye in the NSCHSAA postseason. The Titans wasted zero time, putting up two runs in the first inning which was already more than they were able to compile in the previous game. They did not look, and they were able to capture the critical 5-3 win against first place Kellenberg to split the series. Kellenberg sent junior Matt Reiter to the mound against Holy Trinity’s Gabe Klaritkaitis. After a scoreles...
GAME RECAP: Kieran Kehoe, Mepham Win 8-7 Thriller, Stay Undefeated
Kieran Kehoe and Mepham overcame a early 4-1 deficit and ultimately defeated MacArthur 8-7 to improve to 12-0 on the season. Kehoe went 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs including the game-tying hit in the sixth @GCsports pic.twitter.com/eLhQTz8zK2 — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 25, 2023 You couldn’t have asked for a better game of baseball between two league rivals – one of which is pursuing an undefeated season. MacArthur and host Mepham squared off on Tuesday late afternoon, and by the time it was over, it was nearly dark but there was not one person in attendance that was not on the edge of their seat for the last two innings of the game. Even the last out of the game was recorded on a dropped third strike that required a long throw and close play at first base – but ...
Kings Park Clinches Postseason Berth for First Time Since 2018
Hunter Colagrande fired a 2-hit CG shutout in a 1-0 win to clinch a playoff spot for Kings Park pic.twitter.com/jMSOiy3pCY — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 24, 2023 It’s tough to get a better pitching matchup than the one we had today at East Islip. The 2021 Long Island Champs hosted Kings Park, who entered with a record of 9-3 and looking to clinch their first postseason berth since 2018. The pitching match up was a pair of Stony Brook-commits – RHP Hunter Colagrande (Kings Park) and LHP Nick Rizzo (East Islip). Stony Brook HC Matt Senk was in attendance to get a glimpse of two of his future pitchers. For those in attendance, you just got the sense that offense would be at a premium. Both pitchers were at their best today and one run would be enough – the que...
