Class B Put Valley, AA Fox Lane off to 3-0 Starts on Diamond

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays

T’was about 10 months or so ago when fourth-seeded PLEASANTVILLE sent No.5 PUTNAM VALLEY packing in the 2024 Section 1 Class B baseball quarterfinals. Behind an epic, game-tying, three-run home run from then-freshman Reed Supranowitz in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers forced extra frames where Jack Van Sise walked the Panthers off with a game-winning RBI single in the ninth to forge what was a soul-crushing 4-3 loss for a Tiger club that went on the road and competed as well as they had in recent memory that day.

That was then – pure agony, pure ecstasy – depending on which dugout you resided. Fast forward to last week and it was Coach Joe Natalie’s undefeated Class B Tigers (3-0) returning to the scene of the crime and delivering a shell-shocking 15-1 win over the Class A host Panthers.

Putnam Valley scored seven runs on seven hits in the third to blow the doors off, collecting 17 hits for the game to support winning P Dominic Benedetto (4 IP, 2 H, 5 K, 2 BB, R). Sophomore reliever Eli ‘Eeee’ Pierce pitched a scoreless inning of relief before the mercy rule enacted. Nicky Benedetto (4 H, 2 2B, 4 RBI) supported his brother on the hill. Tigers Ryan Dinizo (2 RBI) and Jay Constantino (2B, 2 RBI) were big contributors for the Tigers, who figure to be one of the top contenders in Class B, which features eight eligible challengers this spring. On paper, Put Valley has a strong shot to challenge for what would be its first Section 1 title the weekend of May 31 at Purchase College #CartBeforeTheHorse, but Put Valley hasn’t reached a sectional final since the Pat Consadine-led Tigers did so in 2008 before falling 4-3 to Kennedy Catholic and legendary Gael hurler Nick Modico #RIP (inronically from PV).

In PV’s 11-0 win over Sleepy Hollow, Tiger OF Aaron Pierre (3-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, run, 2 steals) flashed the potential coach Nat’s hopes to tap this spring.

Otherwise, Pleasantville is off to a great start at 3-1, opening the season with consecutive wins over Magnus (9-5), and Class B’s VALHALLA (9-2) and BRIARCLIFF (6-5), a good portion of it behind Supranowitz (6 IP, 1 ER, 11K; 1-for-3, 2 RBI) in the Panthers’ win over Valhalla. If Supranowitz isn’t already on your radar, ya best dial him up. Kid’s an absolute beast.

With a loaded 19 Class A teams in the mix, the Panthers will need to fend off defending Section 1 champion CROTON-HARMON (2-1), which is playing a big-boy schedule this season, including a pair against 2024 Class A finalists WALTER PANAS (2-1).

Imagine if two of these Ex-area programs were to match up in the Class A finals at Purchase College during the May 31 weekend? It’s within the realm, especially when you factor in Panas senior ace Nick DiMaso (6 IP, 3 H, 10 K, 0 BB) who owned Pelhan in a 7-0 win and had the support of junior SS Jake Malfant (2-for-2, 1 2B, 2 BB, 2 runs) – among the finest prospects in NYS – and C Gianni ‘The Bambino’ Generoso (2-for-3, 1 2B, 3 RBI). If I’m putting the #CartBeforeTheHorse (as I so often do) I’m putting Panas out there as, perhaps, the most legit of all Class A title contenders if the staff can file in behind DiMaso.

Despite losing 5-4 to Panas, BREWSTER (2-1) is hoping to hang hard in AA this spring. Panas P Vinny Lugo (7 K) and Matt Garcia (2-for-3, 3 RBI) got it done for the Panthers (2-1), who saw Malfant and Tristan Pagliettini each score a pair of runs. Panas has been on some kind of run under longtime Coach Anthony Fata, and 2025 figures to be quite fruitful. That said, Class AA, which features 19 clubs, is loaded with strong Ex-area challengers like Pleasantville, Croton, Westlake, Byram Hills, Lakeland and Hen Hud.

Behind P Kaden Anderson (2-0), Brewster picked up its second win of the season, 6-5, over Croton. Anderson fanned seven in 5.1 IP and stroked an RBI hit. Brewster’s Troy Vazquez (3-3, 3 RBI) and Sandro Velardo (2-2, 2B) were all over it.

A 6-3 opening-day win over WESTLAKE got the Bears going. The Wildcats (2-1) put that loss behind them and went deep for a couple of blowout wins over Valhalla ( 12-2) and Briarcliff (15-1).

In Class AA, FOX LANE is looking like the cream of the crop upon a 3-0 start, including wins over host John Jay CR Monday, doing so behind a splendid relief pitching performance from senior Brady Hopkins, which the Foxes followed up with wins over Ossining (12-1), Tuesday, and mighty Arlington (6-2), Wednesday. Of the 12 teams competing in Class AA this spring, the Foxes, if their pitchers pound the strike zone, look like the team to beat with a lineup 1-9 that knows its role and willingly passes the baton. Smart money is on Coach Matt Hillis and the Foxes.

“Our pitchers just have to throw strikes,” Hillis said. “Our bats, defense, base running are locked and loaded. Our pitchers just have to throw strikes.”

Don’t sleep on MAHOPAC, though. The Wolf Pac are off to a 2-1 start and were set to host Fox Lane on April 7 and YORKTOWN, another strong AA challenger, on Tuesday. We will know a heck of a lot more about Coach Anthony Nappi’s Wolf Pac by the middle of this week, but junior RHP Nick Masciarelli, who went all five innings in the 10-0 mercy win over visiting Byram Hills on opening day, looked the part of an ace when he whiffed 13 Bobcats, allowing just one hit and two walks.

“Masc pitched his tail off,” Nappi said. “He started off with a little adrenaline in the first and didn’t locate as well as he could have, and after he kind of got through that first-game excitement he settled into a great groove. He pounded the zone with all his pitches. When he attacks like he did, he’s going to be tough to beat.”

Junior OF Lorenzo Echandy went 2-2 with a double, dinger and three RBI to lead the Wolf Pac while junior C Drew Lichtenberger cracked a three-run yard bomb and Nate Mascoll (2-3, 2 RBI) had a day.

Mahopac went on to post a 5-4 win over Class A host LAKELAND Friday: The big takeaway was a stellar five-inning relief appearance from Wolf Pac junior RHP Jeremy O’Keefe, who delighted Nappi with five shutout innings and six K’s.

“Jeremy gave us the energy we needed,” Nappi said.

Lakeland also lost its season opener to Yorktown, 8-3, when Hornet ace Athony Frobose (4.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Ks) matched up with Husker ace Derek Patrissi (5 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 5K). Patrissi was untouchable before Husker Coach CJ Riefenhauser put the Huskers in cruise control after Brian White (2-4, 3 RBI, 2 runs), Patrissi (2-3, RBI), Joe Carucci (2B, 2RBI) and Aiden Flynn (2-3, 2 runs) each touched up the Hornet staff. Frobose (2B, 2 BB, RBI), Lou Vernagallo (2B, run, BB) and Jake Consiglio (2B, run, RBI) did what they could against a viable Husker staff.

Yorktown also bounced Class A HEN HUD, 7-3, with Patrissi (4-for-4, 2 2B, RBI) in the middle of everything. Lakeland hurler Ramzi Done (7 IP, 2 H, 7 K, 0 BB, 0 R) owned John Jay CR in a 2-0 Hornet win earlier in the week.

Would anyone be shocked if Yorktown and Fox Lane were having a go at in the sectional finals the weekend of May 31 at Purchase College? Baseball is impossible to predict, but there we go putting the cart before the horse #YetAgain #NobodyDoesItBetter! Certainly, both clubs will be chomping at the bit for their April 13 playdate at Yorktown.

“It’s a long year and we have a lot to clean up still,” said Husker Coach Riefenhauser, the former MLB hurler. “Patrissi has been playing great.”

On a totally unrelated side note: Horace Greeley freshman Luke Dessi will never NOT be on a boys’ lax player to watch list ever again. The talented finisher has 13 goals and two assists for the undefeated Quakers (3-0), who, for whatever reason, will not see Yorktown in the regular season, but should eventually go through each other en route to the Section 1 Class B title in late May #SignMeUpForThis.

NOTE: If coaches or team admins aren’t tagging @Directrays on X or Insta after each and every game, you could be overlooked this spring.

 

CHRIS SMAJLAJ/RAY GALLAGHER PHOTOS