Longwood
OTD: Ward Melville Ends Longwood’s 7-0 Start
(Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on April 13, 2018.) Drake Eggleston fires a 90-MPH fastball past James Myler and Ward Melville holds on, 3-1, to end Longwood’s 7-game winning streak pic.twitter.com/ydecyfY71N — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 13, 2018 This one had playoff intensity from the first pitch. It had an ejection before most fans even made their way to a seat and it had excitement right up until the last pitch, when flame-throwing closer Drake Eggleston (UPENN-commit) fired a 90-MPH heater past James Myler with two runners on to slam the door shut on a crucial 3-1 victory over the upstart Longwood Lions. Everyone in attendance was on edge with the potential go-ahead run at the plate. Everyone except for Eggleston. “I knew what I had to do an...
My Favorite Player Growing Up
by Ryan McSherry, Longwood Head Coach First off, I hope everyone is doing well and I look forward to the day we can all step on the baseball field again to compete. When thinking about my favorite player growing up, I’m obviously a product of the Derek Jeter Generation, but I’ll go in a different direction here. As a lefty batter, my dad always pointed out good hitting lefties when they were in the box. So here, I have my choice of guys like Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Tino Martinez, and Paul O’Neill. These are of course, ALL YANKEES! I would have to say one of my favorite players growing up was definitely Paul O’Neill. He was an absolute warrior when he played the game. You can look up any footage on the guy and he was always in the game and had a passion for competing and winning. He wore...
Ty Orologio: Why I Chose a JUCO
(Editor’s Note: Ty Orologio is a 2020 graduate of Longwood HS and the younger brother of Camden–who played at Adelphi University. He was with us at the August 23 Showcase at Ducks Stadium. Yesterday he announced his commitment to attend Dutchess CC. The following words are his own.) People who know me, know exactly why I chose to attend a JUCO. It’s because I don’t prepare for the now, I prepare for the future. I want to set myself up for a successful future, whether it’s on the baseball field or not–I want to be successful. Going to a JUCO, mentally I feel relieved and my drive for determination and success on the baseball field could not be any higher. I’m going to go there and work–that’s it. The first thing I saw when I got out of t...
Busy Week of College Commitments
With the conclusion of the summer season typically comes a flurry of college commitments as players decide where they’d like to continue their baseball playing career and college coaches ready to solidify their next crop of incoming players. This year is no different as the passed weak has featured several players announcing their verbal commitments. Here’s how it went down. Gavin McAlonie (Miller Place) – Molloy College Quick Hit: Raised his stock significantly beginning with his 4-for-4 performance against Shoreham-Wading River back in late April when Aidan Crowley was going for his fourth consecutive no-hitter in front of a huge crowd. Since then, he proved he is an impact player every step of the way especially with his in-game performances with Body Armor. He also th...
Tommy Ventimiglia Commits to Stony Brook
Final: Longwood 2, Smithtown East 0 WP: Danny Gargano S: Tommy Ventimiglia James Myler game-winning HR pic.twitter.com/2noaf3lu31 — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 21, 2019 If you followed the 2019 high school season closely then you are familiar with the rise of Longwood RHP Tommy Ventimiglia. Ventimiglia, which is a town in Northern Italy, is also an ace pitcher that is now off the board for college coaches after announcing his commitment to Stony Brook University last night. Head Coach Matt Senk knows pitchers, and he was able to watch him up close on Wednesday in a dominant outing. During the high school season, ‘Venti’ started out as an unknown sophomore getting called up to varsity and wound up as one of the most effective pitchers in the Class AA playoffs. Time ...
Matt Brown-Eiring Throws CG Shutout to Send Connetquot to AA Finals
Coach Rob Burger is going to the Suffolk AA Finals in his first year at the helm for Connetquot pic.twitter.com/0IhOa1ufp0 — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 30, 2019 There are a lot of similarities between 2017 Commack and this year’s Connetquot team from the insane amount of talent right down to having a first-year Head Coach. Just as those Cougars did two years ago, the T-Birds are headed to the Suffolk AA Finals, one year after losing in the Final 4 on their home field to Eastport-South Manor. This year’s team was not going to be denied. They defeated No. 7 Longwood, 2-0, in Game 3 of the semifinals. Coach Burger was undecided about who to send to the mound following yesterday’s loss. “We were in the office just sitting around for about 45 minutes and Ma...
Connetquot One Win Away From Suffolk AA Finals
Alex Ungar went 3-for-3 and Derek Yalon drove in 3 runs including a 2-R HR in Connetquot’s 7-2 victory pic.twitter.com/0pMIl6xXBo — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 28, 2019 With the forecast calling for thunder and rain, there was some doubt whether this game would be played today. It turns out the only thunder came from the bat of Connetquot LF Derek Yalon, who crushed a two-run HR and also ripped an RBI single in the first inning which game the T-Birds an early 1-0 lead. With ace Joe Savino on the mound, they didn’t need much offense today as the T-Birds took Game 1 of the best-of-three Suffolk AA Semifinals over Longwood, 7-2. The Elon-commit making his final start before next week’s MLB Draft was outstanding once again. He carried a shutout into the 7th innin...
Matt Encizo’s 3-R Home Run, Tommy Ventimiglia’s Arm Sends Longwood Into AA Semifinals
Final: Longwood 5, Smithtown East 1 WP: Tommy Ventimiglia (6 IP, 8 K) Longwood advances to face winner of Connetquot-Sachem East pic.twitter.com/em7yQciKIb — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 24, 2019 With a trip to the Suffolk AA semifinals on the line, Longwood sent sophomore sensation Tommy Ventimiglia to the mound against No. 2 Smithtown East. The talented youngster answered the bell by throwing six strong innings, striking out six and holding the Bulls to one run. Longwood came away with a 5-1 victory. With the game scoreless in the bottom of the third inning, the first two Lions’ batters were retired. The next two batters drew walks to bring up the middle of the order. SS Matt Encizo turned on an inside fastball and deposited it over the fence in right field for a 3-run ...
Game of the Week Presented by Muddy Locker Sports: Walk-Off in 9th Inning Sends Pat-Med to Postseason
Randall Alejo was lights-out in Pat-Med’s 1-0 victory. He did not factor in the decision but fired 7 shutout innings as the Raiders clinch a postseason berth. He’s our @BsbLifestyle101 Player of the Game pic.twitter.com/mPcIn3KAen — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 8, 2019 Big-time pitchers have the ability to execute pitches to get out of jams. Inning-after-inning that’s what we saw from both Pat-Med RHP Randall Alejo (St. Rose-commit) and Longwood LHP Steven Murphy (Adelphi-commit). Both starting pitchers exited with the score tied 0-0, but Murphy left with a runner on first in the ninth inning following a lead off walk to Tyler Miller.An E5 called for an obvious bunting situation. When Pat-Med’s No. 5 hitter Phil Gerard dropped down a bunt and the attempt...
Here’s My Thoughts on The 2019 Season So Far
We are about two weeks into the regular season for most teams at this point in Suffolk County, and one week for Nassau and the Catholic League. It goes quick–way too quick. It seems we wait forever for baseball season and then it’s over 6 weeks later. That means early season story lines that should be chalked up to ‘small-sample size’ and ‘too early to tell’ actually become the story lines the entire season. Here’s a stream of consciousness about what I’m seeing, what I’m hearing and what I am predicting… Nassau County Matt Yip. What more can the kid do? I remember watching him in the winter going into the 2018 season and thinking wow this kid has a nice swing I’m surprised he’s still under-the-radar. I knew of his bro...
