Tigers Clinch Share of Title but Fail to Outright Clinch Against Raiders
On Tuesday, May 7, the White Plains Baseball Team clinched a share of the Section 1 Conference 2-B Title with a 9-2 win over Scarsdale High School in White Plains.
Tigers’ junior pitcher Chris Medeot (4-2) pitched a complete game for the win. Medeot also helped the Tigers at the plate, while hitting a three-run homerun and a two-run triple to score five RBI, on the day.
With their win against the Raiders, on Tuesday, the Tigers (13-4, 6-2 C-2-B) were in control of their own destiny. All the Tigers had to do was win their last league game of the season, against these same Raiders, in Scarsdale, on Friday, May 10, to clinch sole possession of the 2013 Conference 2-B Title.
However, waiting for the Tigers in Scarsdale was the Raiders ace pitcher junior Jacob Aboodi, who had thrown a no-hitter against Mt. Vernon High School, on April 26.
It was a beautiful day for a baseball on Friday and a multitude of White Plains fans traveled to Scarsdale with anticipation of a Tigers clinch. City of White Plains Mayor Tom Roach joined supporters at the game, as did Common Council President Beth Smayda.
Nonetheless, the White Plains Baseball Team that these fans came to support in Scarsdale on Friday did not resemble the ferocious Tigers that they had witnessed throughout this season.
Remember the Tigers had just beaten the Raiders at home three days prior, while scoring nine runs on seven hits. They are also the same team that combined for 14 hits in two games, while beating Mamaroneck High School, twice in one week this season. What’s more, Mamaroneck had only lost one league game in seven years, until White Plains handed them two losses.
Nevertheless, the Tigers batters could not comprehend what to do about Raiders pitcher Aboodi. The usually productive offense of the Tigers could only manage two hits against the Raiders ace in the game.
Further complicating matters for the Tigers on Friday, was that their ace pitcher Lukas Repetti (4-1) had an uncharacteristic outing and was relieved by Kevin Nicholson, after just three innings. Repetti sustained his first loss of the season in five starts.
Although, Repetti gave up only two hits, he walked two batters and had two hit-batsmen with two-earned runs in three innings. Repetti’s control in the game was surely not his best. However, the two back-to-back errors by Tigers shortstop Tommy Bertram in the third inning certainly did not help him or the Tigers.
“I think there were three uncharacteristic things that happened in this game regarding my team. We played terrible defense, we did not pitch very well and we had a very, very poor approach at home plate,” reviewed Tigers Head Coach Marcel Galligani.
“I will tip my cap to their pitcher he threw very well. But this was the type of pitcher that we have handled in the past,” said Galligani. “ Unfortunately, I think some of the players on this team today let the magnitude of the moment dictate the manner they approached the game,” emphasized a disappointed Galligani.
Scarsdale Head Coach Doc Scholl and his ace pitcher Aboodi were quite aware of the enormity of the game for their team. Not only, as far as, the Raiders playing spoilers to the Tigers. But at 2-3 in conference play coming into this game with two league games remaining, if the Raiders were to have any chance for a winning season, this game was a must-win.
“I just told the team that we made a statement today that you do not want to play the Raiders in the first round of the playoffs because we have the kid (Aboodi) on the hill,” declared Scholl.
Aboodi (4-2) pitched superb against White Plains. His slider kept the potent Tigers batters off-stride the entire game. Though, Tigers designated hitter Mike Lotito made sure Aboodi would not put up another no-hitter in this game by swatting a double to centerfield in the third inning. Nonetheless, the Tigers would not muster another hit in the game until the last inning.
After six innings, Aboodi had given up only one hit, two walks and no runs with seven strikeouts. His pitching line for the game read two runs on two hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. “I have been pitching nicely the last few weeks. I tired a little in the last inning of the game. This was a huge game, I pitched well but we also hit better then we have been and that is why we won,” revealed Aboodi.
Even though the Tigers did not clinch the 2-B Championship on Friday, they still have more then a good chance of winning the League Title. New Rochelle High School (3-2 C-2B) beat Mt. Vernon, 6-0, on Saturday, May 11. But the Huguenots must win their next three final league games, including Mt. Vernon and Scarsdale twice, to even gain a tie with White Plains for the Conference 2B Championship.
“At worst we clinched a share of the League Championship. But New Rochelle and Scarsdale still have to play two games and depending on the outcome of those, we could own the Title outright,” said Tigers’ Head Coach Galligani.
