Commack
Where Are They Now: Mike Belfiore
USA Today Sports Growing up in the 1990s during the peak of the Yankee dynasty, Commack native Mike Belfiore was fortunate enough to be in attendance for not one, but two World Series clinching games. Like many New Yorkers, he became infatuated with the game after watching homegrown players like Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte transform into icons. “It became sort of an annual thing going to the playoff games at Yankeee Stadium with my dad,” said Belfiore. Little did he know at the time, that he would later be in the big leagues with an AL East division rival of the New York Yankees during the final season of Mariano Rivera‘s career. The early years Belfiore was always talented for his age, but he credits the time spent with private instructors for taking his game to the next level. “Al Chan...
Chris McHugh Commits to VCU
Please consider signing up for our monthly membership to ensure you don’t miss any content! 2021 was an incredible season for Commack. They ran through Suffolk County on their way to an appearance in the Conference I Long Island Championship against perennial powerhouse Massapequa. In a well-played game at St. Joseph’s College, the Cougars prevailed to capture their first LIC in program history. What made the accomplishment even more impressive is that they were able to do so knowing that their Head Coach, Bryan Bonin, was battling cancer. The boys were able to rally behind their coach on their way to the best season in program history and their second county title since 2017. While they definitely had some impact seniors like staff ace Craig Pihlkar, SS Connor Pedersen and CF ...
Recapping A Thrilling Day of County Championships
It doesn’t get much better than 10 elimination games across Long Island to crown County Champions. Scratch that, it doesn’t get ANY better than that. The games ranged from Sag Harbor to South Side, and the great majority of them were close. I wish I could be at all the games but that’s just not possible, so I took my best guess as to which game to cover. I started at Sachem East, stayed for a few innings and made the short drive to Selden for Newfield’s game. The decision worked out well as Commack got out to an early 4-1 lead then I went to a Newfield and the score was 0-0 in the second inning. Here’s all the action. Nassau III South Side defeated Manhasset, 2-0, on the road behind a complete game, two-hit shutout by Danny Russell. This was a remarkable turn ...
Craig Pihlkar Fires Gem, Commack Defeats Schlesinger & Sachem East 5-3
Final: Commack 5, Sachem East 3 WP: Craig Pihlkar S: Jack Cascone pic.twitter.com/o2Q4uLSgXM — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 13, 2021 On a difficulty scale, it doesn’t get much tougher than winning a road game against a lefty flamethrower that’s a likely MLB Draft pick. But when it comes to being afraid or intimidated, that’s just simply not going to happen to Commack. The Cougars pulled off a wildly-impressive 5-3 win against Sachem East with Miami-commit Rafe Schlesinger on the bump throwing gas. Commack, who captured the 2017 County Championship in a similarly difficult match up at West Islip, had their own ace on the mound. With 6’5 RHP UCONN-commit Craig Pihlkar, they can play with anyone. The big righty earned the win, throwing 6 IP, allowing six hi...
Commack Poised For a Postseason Run in 2021
by Eric Belyea Commack baseball is one of the most touted programs on Long Island, and that does not change going into the 2021 shortened season. Head coach Bryan Bonin, a former CW Post Pioneer, is heading into his fourth season with Commack, after leading the Cougars to a Suffolk County championship in his first season. Although this year has been different in terms of preparation, Bonin has been able to put trust in his upperclassmen leadership when getting physically prepared for the season; “the kids have taken it upon themselves to work out together a few times a week. We do meet via Zoom but as far as getting physically ready they have been working really hard and mirroring workouts that the guys who have been around for a while are familiar with”, Bonin explains. With the COVID-1...
Where Are They Now: Mike Belfiore
USA Today Sports Growing up in the 1990s during the peak of the Yankee dynasty, Commack native Mike Belfiore was fortunate enough to be in attendance for not one, but two World Series clinching games. Like many New Yorkers, he became infatuated with the game after watching homegrown players like Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte transform into icons. “It became sort of an annual thing going to the playoff games at Yankeee Stadium with my dad,” said Belfiore. Little did he know at the time, that he would later be in the big leagues with an AL East division rival of the New York Yankees during the final season of Mariano Rivera‘s career. The early years Belfiore was always talented for his age, but he credits the time spent with private instructors for taking his game to the ne...
Commack, Miller Place and Southampton Capture Town of Brookhaven Championship
Going into the season, Commack knew they were capable of winning a championship. Although it was only a six-game sample size, they proved that during the Town of Brookhaven Varsity Wood Bat Tournament. The Cougars went 6-0 – including a 2-0 victory in the championship against Lindenhurst. Oneonta-commit Drew Vincent was outstanding. The senior fired a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts, allowing just two singles in a masterpiece of an outing. It was his second win of the tournament, he also won on Wednesday night. Although he was throwing goose eggs inning-after-inning, his counterpart Brandon Arcone of Lindenhurst was equally masterful for much of the game. Commack was scoreless entering the bottom of the fifth inning but Vinny Pagano led off with a walk. Jack Cascone followed...
OTD: Commack Captures First County Championship Since 1997
Commack does it!! They are the 2017 Suffolk Class AA Champions ! Commack 8, West Islip 6 WP: Jake Krzemienski pic.twitter.com/00g1i7pt9V — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 31, 2017 One week before the season, the Commack baseball team didn’t know who their Head Coach would be. This was a team coming off a 14-win season and a playoff run with arguably the best staff on Long Island. Three months later they are celebrating their first Suffolk County Class AA championship since 1997 after their 8-6 back-and-forth victory over the reigning Long Island Champion West Islip Lions. Senior Pete Theodorellis, who tied the game up at 6-6 in the sixth inning with a double off the fence–and fired 8.2 IP yesterday–never wavered in his optimism with this team. Even during that period of confusion ...
OTD: Matt Franco’s Three-Run Home Run Sends Ward Melville Into Semifinals
Matt Franco hit a go-ahead 3-R Home Run to send Ward Melville into the semifinals with an 8-6 victory over Commack. Anthony Pascale hit a grand slam to open up a 5-0 lead early in the game @MuddyLocker1 pic.twitter.com/1RQnKsLwsf — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 25, 2019 It’s tough to have a more competitive, intense baseball game between two Suffolk County powerhouses than the one we just saw at Ward Melville to send the Patriots into the Class AA semifinals next week. Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth, right fielder Matt Franco crushed a game-winning three-run home run to left center field to give Ward Melville an 8-6 lead, one that they would not relinquish. The game was the definition of back-and-forth as the Patriots jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run b...
OTD: Tim McHugh’s Grand Slam Caps Comeback Victory for Commack
McHugh on his heroics and the big victory for Commack pic.twitter.com/iPsFTVnEsG — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 9, 2018 If there was one person to avoid seeing with the bases loaded, two-outs protecting a one-run lead it’s TCU-commit, Tim McHugh, who happens to have the best raw power of any player on Long Island. The 6’4″ slugger took the first pitch for a ball before connecting and launching a go-ahead grand slam over the center field wall to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 6-3 lead for the Commack Cougars, who entered the inning trailing 3-1 with only two hits in the game. Reliever Drew Vincent came on to protect the lead and record the victory with a 1-2-3 seventh inning. The game started out with both pitchers dominating. Jake Krzemienski started for the Cougars and Joey Savin...
Commack Is Motivated To Avenge Last Season’s Postseason Exit
by Joseph Langan Joe Pellegrino gives Commack a 6-5 lead in the fifth ! pic.twitter.com/BtXySTeslf — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 25, 2019 Despite another successful season, Commack had their title hopes dashed late in the postseason at the hands of a rival. In a hard fought 8-6 battle against Ward Melville, Commack was knocked out of the playoffs in a contentious back-and-forth affair. Coach Bonin and his team are out for revenge this season, knowing that last season’s abrupt ending doesn’t show how good Commack really is. “The way our season ended last year, who we lost to and when we lost to them is still something myself, Coach Salmon and the returning guys haven’t gotten over.” With the bad taste left in his mouth Coach Bonin is pushing his players to be the best v...
