Tigers Baseball and Softball End Seasons in First Round of Playoffs
The White Plains High School Baseball Team (10-12) was seeded number 14, in the 2015 Section 1 Class AA Playoffs. Due to their seeding the Tigers had to compete in an Outbracket Game in order to advance to play in the First Round of the Section 1 Playoffs.
Tigers’ junior starter Brendan McDonough pitched a four-hitter as White Plains beat the number 19 seeded Mt. Vernon High School, 6-1, on Thursday, May 21, to advance to the Quarterfinals of the Section 1 Playoffs.
The Tigers challenged the number three-seed Arlington High School, at Arlington, on Friday, May 22 in the Quarterfinals. Arlington shutdown the Tigers 11-2, with eight unearned runs in the fifth inning and spectacular defensive plays to start the game.
The Tigers season ends with a 10-12 overall record, after starting the season without a win until their 10th game, while going 0-9 to start the year. The Tigers won their last 10 of 13 games, including the playoffs, to end the season.
“Without question this is something to build on for next year,” stated Tigers Head Coach Marcel Galligani. “I even told my players after the Arlington game, that I was extremely proud of the way they hung in there after a 0-9 start and it showed a lot of character being able to right the ship and win 10 of 13 games to finish the year,” recalled Galligani.
The Tigers will graduate five seniors this year but only two from their starting line-up, including catcher Andy Iglesias and big-hitting infielder Ricardo Mendez. The Tigers pitching, which has been stellar throughout the season, returns all their pitchers except for starter Michael Myllek.
Galligani is cautious with his future expectations. “On paper we look good but you have to play between the lines,” he said. The Tigers with juniors McDonough and Daniel Lotito and freshman phenom Spencer Lodes returning to lead a rotation with Javier Perez and Mac Innes, are going to be a tough pitching staff to beat next season.
“Daniel Lotito is a baseball player, he is a one sports player and besides his academics, he puts all his efforts into baseball. We are fortunate that he will be with us for another year,” complimented Galligani.
On Lodes, who already resembles a Division 1 college prospect Galligani evaluated: “Spencer Lodes has a tremendous future ahead of him. He has a great arm and good body frame. I am looking forward to helping Spencer and to see where the next three years takes him in his development.”
Tigers Softball Cannot Get By Ursuline – Lose 6-0
The Tigers Softball Team also lost in the First Round of the Section 1 AA Playoffs. The number 13 seeded Tigers lost to their nemesis; the number four seeded The Ursuline School, 6-0, in New Rochelle, on Thursday, May 21.
The Tigers just could not get their bats going against Koalas pitcher Valentina Cucci, who pitched a one-hitter, while striking out nine, to shutout the Tigers, 6-0.
Leftfielder Kayla Castro went 4-for-4 with four singles and Sarina Campos hit two doubles in the game for Ursuline, who advanced to play number five seeded Ketchum High School, in the Quarterfinals, on Saturday, May 24. Ketchum beat Ursuline, 8-6, to end the Koalas 2015 season.
Tigers’ catcher Kayla Bonnet managed the only hit for Tigers in the first inning against Ursuline. When Ursuline shortstop Angie Rizzi leaped high in the air to catch Juliet Lodes line drive for the last out of the game, the Tigers 2015 season ended.
The Tigers accumulated a, 7-13 record this year but hung tough behind their sophomore pitcher Emily Tumminia. The Tigers will lose four seniors to graduation including, the McMahon twins, Megan and Jessica, Emily O’Brien and centerfielder Sarah Carrier.
“Sarah and Megan were with me for four years and Megan’s sister Jessica came up last year and broke into the starting line-up and Emily O’Brien has been with me since her freshman year,” commented Ted O’Donnell, the Tigers Head Coach.
“That is the hardest part about the last day of the season knowing that you are not going to get to coach the seniors again, that was a really special quartet of student/athletes,” O’Donnell said.
