Baseball Notebook
No-Hitters Abound at Panas, Somers, Ossining, Yorktown
At least the weather is not as bad as last year, or the year before. That’s what local baseball coaches, players and fans alike have to say after Week 1 of the 2019 Section 1 baseball season is in the books. It’s been chilly, it’s been slightly uncomfortable, but the fields have held up for the most part as the teeming rains have held off and snow appears to be behind us.
April can be tricky but March, though chilly, was better than we’ve had in recent years, so let’s have a look around the local diamonds, which saw four no-hitters last week…
CLASS A
Rookie Matty Calise had a sweet varsity debut for PANAS (2-0) in last Thursday’s 13-0 victory over visiting Roosevelt and followed that up with a no-hitter in a 10-0 win over Peekskill Saturday (see back page sports). Against Roosevelt, Calise had two hits, including a well-ripped double, three RBI, two steals and a run in the season opener at Union Field in Putnam Valley. Panas P Steven Gerrish fired a shutout and Don Hooper went 2 for 3 with three RBI for Panas, which has much bigger tests forthcoming, including a pair of League II-C encounters with host YORKTOWN (1-0) this Wednesday and Friday at home. Panas Coach Anthony Fata will likely hand the ball to Calise and Gerrish, and the Panthers will need to salvage a split against a Yorktown team that has some solid hurlers of its own.
The Huskers worked a 7-1 win over Eastchester behind ace Anthony Fusco, who went six sterling, no-hit innings with eight K’s and combined with reliever Vinny Cicateli for a no-hitter. Luan Biberaj and Kyle Zaslaw each drove home a pair for the Huskers.
Host Nanuet showed that on any given day in baseball any team can win, when the Golden Knights defeated reigning Section 1 Class A champion LAKELAND, 8-6, doing most of the damage in a four-run sixth. Lakeland’s Joe Vetrano (2 for 3) cracked a triple, walked, scored twice and knocked in a pair, and Hornet OF Andrew Croce was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI, but the Hornets (1-1) failed to hold the lead.
In the season-opening 7-5 win over host John Jay, Vetrano, fresh off a bout with strep throat, threw five innings and struck out six to earn the win. Reliever Jason Green tossed two innings of relief and struck out two. The big guy also doubled home a run.
SOMERS (1-0) P Liam Kaseta, a senior lefty, fired a no-hitter in a 7-0 victory over visiting Lincoln, whiffing a career-high 11 and walking two. Logan Carriero (2 for 3, run), Thomas Parisi (1 for 3, 2 RBI, run) and Nate Schwartz (2 for 2, run, RBI double, 2 BB) provided the punch at the plate. Thomas Parisi had a hit and two RBI for the Tuskers, who had a nice bounce-back win after a 3-1 opening-day loss to Byram Hills, in which Jackson Kossow had the lone Somers RBI.
Bobby McBride led a 15-hit BREWSTER (1-0) attack in as 12-10 win over host Pearl River last Saturday. McBride crushed it, going 3 for 4 with a career-best seven RBI. Paul Catalano (2 for 3, 4 runs) and Ryan Gergley (3 for 3) all came through for P Dean Johnson, who earned the win in relief.
HEN HUD (2-1) is off to a solid start, including a 12-0 win over Tappan Zee. RHP Mike Greiner fired five scoreless frames to earn his second win of the season. Nick Hiltsley, John Glashoff and Jordan Grullon each had multiple hits for the Sailors.
CLASS AA
MAHOPAC (1-1) came out swinging in a 12-4 win over host Clarkstown North. Indian 1B Kyle Brandstetter doubled, walked twice and drove home three in support of winning hurler Casey Tewey (two runs on four hits in five innings). Chris Walpole was the sparkplug, going 3 for 5 with an RBI and three runs. That was a lot of pop for a Mahopac offense and Coach Myk Lugbauer can only hope it continues.
CARMEL (1-0) took it to visiting Port Chester in a 12-0 thumping last Friday. Carmel sophomore Jack Sullivan fired five frames of one-hit ball, sending eight down K-way. He didn’t walk a batter and added two hits and scored twice and fed off the support of Kevin Dall (2 hits, 2B, SB, RBI, 2 runs), Sador Kozma (2 hits, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and Jon McIntyre (2 hits, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 runs)
OSSINING (1-0) smoked Mount Vernon, 18-0, last Friday when senior RHP Peter Bossinas fired the first no-hitter the Pride have seen in quite some time. He whiffed 12 in a dominant opening-day performance. Nick Constantino (2 for 4, 4 RBI) and Peter’s brother, Joey Bossinas (2 for 4, 2 RBI), did the bulk of the offensive damage.
CLASS B
PUTNAM VALLEY (1-1) posted a 4-2 opening-day win over visiting Albertus Magnus behind RHP John Millicker, who lasted five innings, allowing just a solo homer while fanning six. Senior reliever Alex O’Brien went 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI before closing out the game with two frames of relief for the save.
CROTON (1-0) turned PV’s victory face into frowns the next day, serving the visiting Tigers a 3-2 setback after a walk-off hit by Evan Hunter (2 for 4 RBI), David Jackson (2 for 3, 2B RBI), John Casieri (2 for 4 2 runs). Max Luke fired three scoreless innings with six K’s while winning pitcher Toby Murphy pitched the final four inning, allowing two earned runs with three K’s.
Put Valley senior TJ Brescia went four frames, whiffing eight and allowing one earned run.
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.
