Diamond Dawgs Warming Up; Class AA Tough to Predict
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Croton Crushing it in Class B; Lakeland, Panas Split Series
By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays
While it hasn’t exactly felt like baseball weather this spring, things are bound to start heating up, and the long-range forecast is shaping up nicely.
Five up the current top 11 teams in Class AA hail from the Examiner-area region, including No.3 FOX LANE (6-2), No.5 MAHOPAC (5-2-1), No.8 BREWSTER (6-4), No.9 YORKTOWN (4-4), No.10 SOMERS (4-4) and No.11 PEEKSKILL (3-2). No.14 GREELEY (2-4-1) and No.16 CARMEL (2-6) are falling perilously behind and need to string some consistent wins together to get back into serious contention.
Fox Lane was looking strong and steady before Class AAA WHITE PLAINS put a hold on things in a 4-1 Tiger win to close out the week. Mike Salvatorelli gave the Foxes a solid outing on the hill but Fox Lane could not get the clutch hit of Tiger hurler Sammy Mendez, who pitched a gem for the Tigers (4-5), who have yet to hit their stride with losses in four of the last six.
OSSINING (3-5-1) had a rough go in a 10-0 loss to Fox Lane when Fox ace TylerRenz (5 IP, 1H, 10 K) dominated. Logan Mammola (2H, 3 RBI), Will Rudolph (RBI 3B), BradPatterson2 (2H, 2 RBI), Peter Portugues (2 RBI), PJ Stonsby (RBI) Danny Spolansky (2H) and Cooper Furst (2B) crushed the Pride pitching. Ossining managed to recover in time to take home the coveted Christian Federico Memorial tourney title Sunday in an 8-0 win over BYRAM HILLS (3-5) when Owen Brennen pitched a complete game shutout and red hot Michael Lebenson took home the tournament MVP trophy.
Brewster has been extremely streaky in recent days: A five game win streak was followed by a three game losing skid before Brewster split with a similarly up-and down Somers club that lost its first three before a four-game win streak and a split with the Bears (6-4). The jury is still out on both the Tuskers and the Bears.
Mahopac has looked the part of a legit challenger after tying John Jay EF and posting 10-0 shutouts of Lincoln and Brewster. The Wolf Pac is well rested for a rough patch of games the next 10 days, including a pair with defending NYS Class AA champion RCK, the early favorites in AAA this spring, another with 2023 Class A finalist John Jay CR and one with Yorktown. Tyler Castrataro, Tyler DeBrocky and company will look to shock RCK, much like they did a year ago. There is no shortage of confidence at Mahopac.
After a 3-1 start, Yorktown has dropped three straight, including losses to Byram Hills, Pelham and suddenly-streaking HEN HUD (7-5), which has turned around a 2-5 start with a five game winning streak, including a 9-2 win over Briarcliff to win their second straight Bears tourney title. Hen Hud has a pivotal home-and-home set with NYSPHSAA Class A runnerup PANAS on Wednesday and Friday before taking on Somers Saturday. We’ll find out if the Sailors are for real or just a flash in the pan this week.
Panas (5-3) settled for a split with rival LAKELAND (4-6), each taking a 5-4 decision from the other. The Panthers were on a three game roll, having knocked off BREWSTER (6-4), Mahopac and Lakeland with losses to Lakeland and John Jay CR sprinkled in. Panas is pretty good despite its losses to graduation, but the Panthers can’t look past anyone given the 13-1 loss to Cross River and a 14-7 setback to mighty Arlington to close out the week.
Lakeland had to feel pretty good about the split with Panas and a 5-2 win over New Rochelle, which put an end to a gnarly five-game losing streak.
Class A BRIARCLIFF is recovering from a slow start by taking three of the last four, including a pair from Blind Brook, but the Bears (5-6) could not slow down Class B rival PLEASANTVILLE in a 9-3 setback to the Panthers (7-3), which have won six in a row after an 0-3 start, including a sweep of the rival Bears. Pleasantville is not to be overlooked in Class B.
CLASS B
CROTON-HARMON is tearing it up at 10-1 overall, including recent triumphs of Lakeland and Pawling, plus a sweep of North Salem.
Against Lakeland, former Hornet players and current Croton coaches Eric Rosen and Jay Tomasulo returned to the hive for a come-from-behind win over the program that taught them the ropes of baseball
“It was Little League night at Lakeland High School where both programs honored the rich history of youth baseball in Shrub Oak and Croton,” Rosen said. “Prior to the game we announced members of the Croton Tigers travel team and members of the Shrub Oak travel teams. We got off to a good start against Lakeland Ace Anthony Frobose as we scored three runs in the top of the first off an RBI double from Mekhi Smithwick and an RBI single from Ryan Kim.
“Lakeland was able to chip away and come back taking a 4-3 lead,” he added. “We answered right back and were able to tie the game the next inning at 4-all. We were able to take advantage of a Lakeland defensive miscue and go ahead 5-4. We were able to put the game away on a bases-clearing double by Sam Levine to go up 8-4. Andrew “AK” Kim was solid again on the mound going the distance with nine K’s. He got stronger as the game went on as he struck out five out of the last six hitters and faced the minimum number of batters after the second inning.”
As good as Croton has looked, its lone blemish came at the hands of VALHALLA (4-4-1), which has redirected a poor start by winning four of the last five.
We shall see what PUTNAM VALLEY (3-3-1) is made of this week with games against Class A Hastings and Class B Pleasantville. Speedy Tiger OF Rick Meister and a healthy P Connor Flynn give PV an edge some squads don’t quite have.
Baseball coaches are encouraged to email raygallaghersports@gmail.com or tag @Directrays on X with results, stats and comments after each game.
ANDY JACOBS/TONY HUMERTO/DAVID TABER PHOTOS
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.
