Fox Lane’s Renz, Mahopac’s Castratataro, Panas’ DiLo Spin Gems

Yorktown’s Espo, Patrissi Chucking; Greeley on 4-Game Tear; Croton Wins 4 of 5

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays

When FOX LANE senior P Tyler Renz took the mound last Monday, Coach Matt Hillis figured his ace would be at the top of his game against a solid WHITE PLAINS club, but little did he know the Saint John’s-bound righty would record an historical outing, arguably the finest in Fox Lane’s tradition-rich history.

Fox Lane, among the finest baseball programs in Section 1 history, has had its fair share of aces, but none have ever matched the moxie and swag of Renz, who punched out a school record 19 batters in a one-hit 3-0 shutout of the visiting Tigers.

“It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before in my time at Fox Lane,” veteran Coach Hillis said of Renz (3-1, 2.20 ERA, 58 K, 28.2 IP), a beacon of hope in an otherwise subpar season (4-9) in Class A. “My greatest joy this season has been watching Tyler Renz pitch. I’ve never seen anything like the win over White Plains, it was unbelievably dominant. His first pitch of the game was 92 (MPH) his last pitch of the game was a fastball at 89. It was unreal.”

Will Rudolph and Danny Spolansky each had an RBI single to support Renz and Cooper Furst added an RBI sac fly for final measure. If not for White Plains’ Nick Vendola’s fourth-inning single, Renz would have had a perfect game.

“St. John’s is getting themselves a good one,” Hillis concluded.

White Plains bounced back strong in the series finale behind a 2-0 league win over the Foxes when Gavin Townsend fired a four-hit shutout. He fanned five. Fox P Nick Dellorso went the distance as well, allowing one earned run on five hits. Dan Cocciardi and Sean DeBernardo each had a rib-eye in the win for the Class AA Tigers (7-3 in Section 1, 8-5 overall).

It looks, once again, like Roy C. Ketcham is the team to beat, with No.2 John Jay –EF and No.3 White Plains rounding out the current top three seeds.

CLASS A
Jason Douglas was the hero in YORKTOWN’s 9-8 extra-inning win over BREWSTER, his walk-off single part of a 2-for-5 effort with three runs and two RBI for the Huskers (10-5), the current No.5 seed.

Nick Pace and Derek Patrissi each stroked a pair hits for the Huskers, winners in four of the last five; the one loss coming at the hands of Class B Valhalla, 5-3. Yorktown plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie Brewster, following a grand slam by Brewster’s Collin Brennan, who had himself quite a week for the improving Bears (6-9), who defeated MAHOPAC, 11-2, and took top-seeded PANAS took extra before losing 2-0.

The Huskers did deal the Bears a 15-1 setback in the series finale, going for 19 hits in the win. Brad Garritty and Jason Douglas each went 4-for-5 while Joe Carucci had a day (3-for-3 with four RBI). Husker P Jack Esposito fanned nine before the game was called on mercy.

The Huskers could not solve VALHALLA’s Fabian Resika, who fired six innings, allowing two earned runs off three K’s for the 5-3 Viking win. He yielded to Dylan Carbone for the save and  Jaco Cusmano (2-for-3, 2 RBI) delivered at the dish.

Yorktown got back on track in an 8-7 win over an improving LAKELAND club, taking back the coveted Sorrentino Cup behind Patrissi’s 6.2 innings on the hill where he sent 10 Hornets (5-9) down K-way. Patrissi aided his cause by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Douglas tripled to lead off the seventh and scored the winning run when Carucci’s sac fly caught enough air to give the Huskers the win. Lakeland Dom Toscano (3-for-4, RBI, run), Anthony DeCesare (2-for-4, 3 RBI, homer) and Frank Kowal (2-for-4, 3 RBI, 2B) had spotted the Hornets, winners in five of their last seven, a short-lived lead.

Brewster’s Brennan had MAHOPAC’s number in an 11-3 win over the Indians (8-5-1), who have now dropped four of the last six, and the schedule is brutal going forward with the Dutchess powers that be on deck, including two with undefeated RCK and two against a solid Arlington club, plus two more with rival Carmel.

Brennan lasted six, allowing two earned runs while sitting nine down on strikes and going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of runs.

The Bears nearly stunned the entire state Saturday when they took once-beaten Panas into the eighth inning before going home a 2-0 loser when emerging Panther slugger Randy Wiesner sent everyone home with a two-run, game-winning yard bomb in the bottom of the eighth off hard-luck loser Colin Krebs while making a winner out of reliever Anthony Jaeschke. Krebs allowed just three hits but did walk six while working in and out of jams all day before Wiesner’s second home run in three games, third overall. The junior also went yard with a grand salami in an 11-1 win over defending Class A champion Somers, part of a six-ribbie, three-hit onslaught to support winning P Action Jackson DiLorenzo, who allowed one hit and recorded all 15 outs via punchouts in a mercy game that went five frames. The ECU-bound DiLo was 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Clemson-bound Panas SS Sam Stafura (2-for-2, HR, 2B) and Mike Torres (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) also feasted. Tusker Tommy Tan was the only one to touch him, delivering an RBI single.

“The kid is a gamer, I just love watching him pitch,”Panas skipper Anthony Fata said.

Somers made it much tougher in a 2-0 loss to the Panthers, but Panas P Nick DiMaso was tough to solve through five frames of scoreless ball to get the win. winning before Jaeschke chalked up the save. DiLorenzo (2-for-3, RBI) and Wiesner (1-for-3, RBI).

Mahopac was able to close out the week with, perhaps, its best win of the season, a 2-0 league win over John Jay – EF.  Indian RHP Tyler Castrararo twirled his finest gem to date, firing a three-hit shutout while sending 17 Patriots in search of pine via the punchout. He also went 1-for-1, drew three walks and scored a run when CF Joey Koch (2 RBI) tripled.

Having won four in a row, GREELEY is making a charge after sweeping Port Chester, 8-2 and 5-1. Quaker P Cole Stein worked all seven innings in the 5-1 win, allowing four hits and a walk, which he counted with five strikeouts. Aidan Dunleavy (2-for-3, 2B) led the Quakers, who also notched a 3-2 win over rival Fox Lane when James Monica’s walk off double clinched the win. Starter Ben Schulman ;asted six innings, stymying the Foxes on just two hits, two walks and two earned runs while fanning 13. Fox Lane P Lucas Danisi was a hard-luck loser after going the distance. He allowed five hits and two earned runs but only had the offensive support of Logan Mammola and Will Rudolph, who each doubled home a run.

LAKELAND freshman P Ramzi Done continued to open eyes in a 7-0 win over HEN HUD for his second complete-game shutout in as many tries. Done allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out six while big Logan Crilly doubled and knocked in three for support. Anthony Frobose (3-for-4, 2B, RBI),  Kowal (2-for-3, 2 2B, RBI) and Toscano (2-for-3, RBI 2B) came up strong for the Hornets, who then went on the sweep the Sailors, 4-0, behind a gem from Frobose, who fired a three-hit shutout. He walked three and wiggled out of trouble behind eight strikeouts. DeCesare (3-for-4, 2B, run) and Toscano (HR) stayed hot for the surging Hornets, who currently hold the No.17 seed after starting the season 0-7.

CLASS B

Top-seeded Bronxville, No.2 Rye Neck and No.3 Blind Brook round out the current top three seeds, but Examiner-area clubs like No.4 VALHALLA (8-5), No.6 CROTON (10-4), No.8 WESTLAKE (6-4-2), No.9 PUTNAM VALLEY (10-6) and No.10 BYRAM HILLS (8-6) round out what looks like a very formidable top-10 field of challengers in the upcoming postseason. No.12 PLEASANTVILLE (6-8) and No.13 BRIARCLIFF (6-8-1) remain firmly among the mix.

Valhalla’s win over Class A Yorktown was a big boost for the Vikings but surging Croton, winners in six the last eight, have opened some eyes of late.

The Tigers mercied Put Valley, 18-1, but what a difference a day makes in baseball as PV then sent Croton packing in a 5-3 series finale when PV chucker Dylan Watson worked five innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits to go with five K’s in Croton’s only loss of the week. SS Jay Constantino came on in relief to pitch the final two scoreless innings with two whiffs. Constantino was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk while James Sanford (2-for-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI) had a day. CF Ricky Meister added an RBI for the Tigers, who have won three of the last four.

Croton’s Sam Weiner (4-for-4, 2B, HR, 6 RBI) clocked PV pitching in the mercy win. Sam Levine (4-for-4, RBI), Evan Kurtz (2-for-3, 3 RBI), Korey DeBeer (2-for-4, 3 RBI) and Owen Mintzer (3-for-4, 5 RBI) mashed as well.

Croton also hammered out an 8-2 win over Class C HALDANE (7-7) when Mintzer (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Matt Anfiteatro (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and DeBeer (2 RBI) all stroked for the Coach Eric Rosen’s Tigers. With just four teams in Class C, don’t count out Haldane.

BYRAM HILLS took two of three last week as Bobcats mercied Edgemont, 11-1, defeated North Salem, 9-6 and lost to Croton, 9-0.

Bobcat P Dylan Ettinger allowed no earned runs over six frames against Edgemont, allowing just two hits while whiffing eight and did damage at the dish by doubling and driving home three, as did Ben Rothenberg. Bryce Baskind (3-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Christian Bellantoni (2-for-3, RBI) Jake Smelser (RBI single) and Connor Boekel (RBI single) all feasted for the Bobcats.

BRIARCLIFF made the most of its trip to Dutchess Stadium with a 9-6 win over North Salem. P Luke Diamond (7 K’s, 4 IP, 3 earned runs) got the win

And supported his cause by knocking in a pair of runs and scoring another.

Jarred Haberman homered for the Bears.

WESTLAKE snapped a 2-2 tie in the fifth to defeat Pleasantville, 4-2, with Javier Moronta (2-for-3, 2 RBI) providing the pop for winning P Nick Castellano (7 IP, 2 earned runs, 4 K’s).

In Class AA action, OSSINING knocked off Port Chester, 6-2, behind P Joe Post’s complete game, giving up two earned runs. Mike Lebenson (2-3, 3 steals) set the table. Brian Hoffman stroked a clutch two RBI hit for the Pride (6-7), winners of three in a row and the current No.11 seed.

Baseball coaches are encouraged to email raygallaghersports@gmail.com for inclusion in our weekly Baseball Notebook.