Pierson Baseball Loses Series But Clinches Playoff Spot

The Pierson baseball team lost its most recent three-game series in League VIII, but the one game they won against Smithtown Christian was crucial as it clinched a spot in the Class C playoffs for the Whalers.Pierson (10-5) started the week tied for fourth place in the league with Smithtown Christian (a team Pierson would not face in the postseason because the Knights compete in Class D). Defending Suffolk County Class C champ Southold (15-0) was in first, followed by ‘B’ squads Mattituck (10-2, 12-2) and Babylon (9-3, 9-4).The Whalers grinded out their playoff-clinching win by a 3-2 score at home on April 28, after losing, 10-0, at Smithtown Christian in the opener a day earlier. The Knights won the rubber game, 5-4, in extra innings at home on April 29.Pierson head coach Jon Tortorella said he was happy to see his team rebound after a poor showing in the opener.“We took ownership with what we were doing and picked up the intensity and focus,” he said.The Whalers had only three hits on the day and made two errors, but were able to scratch out a run in the first and two more in the second, which proved to be all they’d need. Smithtown Christian scored once in the second and added another run in the fifth.Tortorella gave credit to pitcher Jonathan Severance for a tough effort on the mound that helped preserve the win.“Jonathan Severance was great,” he said. “He was all guts out there. He threw strikes, pitched out of some tight situations and stayed calm throughout the day.”Severance pitched 5 and 2/3 innings and had five strikeouts. Ryan Chisholm pitched the final 1 1/3 innings.Cameron Burton and Wilver Garcia-Juarez had RBIs for the Whalers.The final game was the most thrilling of the series, despite the loss for Pierson. Facing a 4-3 deficit in the top of the seventh, Pierson’s James Sherry tied the game by stealing home with one out. But the Knights scored the winner in the bottom of the eighth when Kyle Seok came home from second base off a bunt single by teammate Sal Ciarvino.Angelo Toscano had two hits that day for Pierson while Tyler LaBorne had a pair of RBIs.Tortorella said the game gave his team good experience.“It was a great game,” he said. “It was unfortunate we didn’t come up with the win, but both teams deserved this one.“We fought all day,” he continued. “This game had the atmosphere of a playoff game, so it was good that we got to experience that.”The series with Smithtown Christian concluded the three-game series portion of Pierson’s schedule. The Whalers were scheduled to finish out the regular season with one game against each of the Class B teams in the league, starting on May 3 at home against Southampton, which would be Pierson’s last regular season home game. The Whalers will visit Mercy on May 6 (4:30 p.m.), Mattituck on May 9 (4:30 p.m.), Babylon on May 10 (5 p.m.) and Center Moriches on May 12 (4:30 p.m.).