19 Photos
Brendan Burke celebrates stealing third base. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Christian Pantina rounds third base and heads home. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Gavin Gilbride catches a Reed Kelsey pitch. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Gavin Gilbride passes the ball back to his battery mate. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Lucas Iulo fires a shot from the mound. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Max Krotman keeps his eye on thee ball. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Max Krotman slides into second base. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Paul Rosel winds up. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Paul Rosel sends a pitch to the plate. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Reed Kelsey winds up. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Reed Kelsey hurls a pitch. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Reed Kelsey connects with the ball. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Reed Kelsey heads to first base. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Pierson baseball players celebrate Vinny Cavaniola's go-ahead run. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Pierson baseball players celebrate Vinny Cavaniola's go-ahead run. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Vinny Cavaniola points to his teammates after hitting a game-tying double. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Pierson baseball players celebrate Vinny Cavaniola's go-ahead run. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Pierson baseball players celebrate Vinny Cavaniola's go-ahead run. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Max Krotman follows through with a hit to deep center field. DESIRÉE KEEGAN
Despite more comebacks after forcing a Suffolk County Class C championship-deciding game three Friday, the Pierson baseball team’s season came to an end with a walkoff loss to Port Jefferson, 7-6.
“We kept fighting until the last pitch — we just came up a little short,” head coach Jonathan Schwartz said. “But this team knows how to win. They fight till the end, and it showed today.”
There was plenty of back-and-forth action to be had in the title-earning contest, and early action came in the third after a long bottom of the first ended with the Royals (20-3) up 1-0. Junior Christian Pantina was brought home on senior shortstop Dan Labrozzi’s hit after the third baseman’s single to right field and steal of second base. Then, Pierson (15-9) took a one-run lead when, after Labrozzi stole third, the ball was thrown over the third baseman’s head and into shallow left field for the senior to score standing up.
Port Jeff responded, though, tying the game on a wild pitch with runners on first and third. Senior starting right hand pitcher Reed Kelsey earned his third strikeout to end the inning and strand runners on first and third.
In the bottom of the fourth, after Kelsey’s next strikeout, he hit a batter, and after an intentional walk, a double over the center fielder cleared the bases for a 4-2 Royals lead. Junior catcher Gavin Gilbride’s sacrifice brought home senior Vinny Cavaniola to make it a one-run game in the top of the next inning, and freshman outfielder Max Krotman’s hit down the first base line that was tipped over the infielder’s glove brought home Pantina to retie things.
“There’s just no quit. No quit in this team. There’s a lot of experience, so it doesn’t faze them,” Schwartz said. “They were obviously upset every time Port Jeff took the lead, but they just battled back every time.”
Port Jeff went up 5-4 at the end of the fifth inning, but Cavaniola’s RBI-double to deep left field with two outs helped senior outfielder Brendan Burke cross home plate, and an overthrow after Cavaniola’s steal of third helped the Whalers retake the lead, 6-5.
“Every team knows we keep on coming,” Schwartz said. “Some of these guys have been with me since middle school, so it’s been fun, interesting, challenging, exciting.”
The Royals tied the game with a no-outs hit to center field after a wild pitch moved the runner to third, but Gilbride slid into the fence to catch a foul tip, and freshman reliever Paul Rosel’s strikeout ended the inning. But it was Rosel’s last pitch in the dirt that skipped past Gilbride, also with no outs, after Port Jeff runner Frank Andriani stole third, that ended the game in walkoff fashion for the Royals.
“It feels like we were supposed to be here, even though, I don’t think anyone thought we would be,” Schwartz said. “So, we kind of defied some expectations.”
