Baseball Notebook
Hardballers Brave Cool Temps, Put Chilly Week 1 Behind Us
As my dad used to say: It was colder than a well-diggers ass out there but opening day and the first week of spring baseball is behind us. It won’t be much warmer this week, but, with any luck, there is a light at the end of the tunnel; even though slushy snow remains in the forecast.
CLASS AA
MAHOPAC‘s Billy Moeller was the kid that opened the most eyes in the opening week of the season. The junior RHP went six innings in the Indians’11-1 win over visiting John Jay CR, striking out 14 Indians while allowing just three hits and two walks. Mahopac OF Dylan Brehm scored two runs scored and drove home three RBI in a game that was much closer than it looked (Mahopac scored 10 in the sixth).
“Moeller just kept shoving,” Mahopac Coach Myk Lugbauer said.
Anthony Caminitti and Joe Usewicz each had two RBI during 10-run outburst against Indian relievers. Jay starter Joe Biancone did not allow a hit over five innings while striking out nine Indians, who were also beaten earlier in the week by a really good White Plains club.
CARMEL has come out clubbing, scoring 34 runs in two lopsided wins; 21-0 over East Ramapo and 13-3 over Mount Vernon. Against Mount Vernon, Rams (2-0) AJ Gonzalez, Gregory Loughran and Febo had two hits apiece behind winning P Dan Castrovinci. Against Ramapo, SS Sean McCarthy had three hits and drove home five while Gonzalez had two hits and four RBI, Loughran homered and drove home two while Castrovinci had RBI to support winning hurler Matt Vitro (4 IP, 7 K, 1 H).
YORKTOWN was the victim of both Suffern and the Examiner front cover jinx, falling 11-3 in its season opener to Suffern, one of Class AA’s premier programs. The Mounties crushed 11 hits off three Husker hurlers. Coach Sean Kennedy expects this is just a bump in the road.
OSSINING opened with a 13-6 win over Mount Vernon behind winning P Michael Laitman (4 RBI, 3 hits, 2 runs), Joe Bossinas (3 RBI), Luke De Angelis (2 RBI) and Matt Minihan (2 RBI). Laitman also whiffed nine over five frames.
CLASS A
LAKELAND opened its season with a 10-2 win over host Yonkers. Lakeland starter Eric Portella debuted with five innings for the win behind a two-run bomb from Matt Schenck. Hornets Joe Vetrano reached base four times (double, 3 BB). The Hornets (1-1) could not ride the wave in Rye, falling 5-4 to the Garnets on Saturday behind a myriad of mistakes.
“We made a lot of mental mistakes, myself included, against Rye,” Hornet Coach Bill Casey said. “Our young pitchers (Evan) Berta and (Joe) Vetrano struck out 14 batters combined, which is an impressive start and gives us some hope that they will continue with that. Offensively, we looked young. We struck out 14 times, seven looking, which concerns me. We’re going to Florida for some scrimmages, which I believe will be very helpful and productive for us. We need to work on some things and also have these guys get at-bats.”
In two games Vetrano has but three official at bats with five walks (2 intentional). He has reached base all eight times with a hard hit line-drive homerun at Rye.
“We need the rest of the offense to pick it up,” Casey said. “If we struggle offensively, than we need our pitching and defense to be really good if we want to compete this year.”
PANAS went to work behind ace Jake Jempty, who allowed just one hit over six innings in a 4-0 win over Saunders. Jempty jammed seven strikeouts for the win and OF Tim Feliz (2 for 4, 2 RBI, 3 steals) did major damage on the base paths.
HEN HUD kicked off its season with a 12-1 win over Yonkers.
SOMERS opened with an 11-0 win over Eastchester when junior RHP Logan Carriero went five innings, allowing one hit while fanning six. The kid aided his own cause with the three-run yard bomb and four RBI on the day.
“It was impressive,” Somers Coach Joe Wooten said. “Although, I am excited about his game, I cannot say I am completely surprised. Logan has been preparing for this opportunity for quite some time.”
BREWSTER stormed Poughkeepsie, 15-3, behind a stellar effort from P Mike Charbonneau, who chalked up the win.
CLASS C
HALDANE handled Peekskill, 14-4 at Dutchess Stadium behind Aidan Siegel, who stroked three doubles.
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
Visit Ray’s author bio page for more details. Also read Ray’s archived work here and his Direct Rays column here.
