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07/30/2016 12:00 AMThe Shoreline Cougars visited the Clinton Huskies for a doubleheader at the Indian Sports Complex on July 28 in the first meeting between the two 18-U AAU baseball teams who play in the East Shore Travel League. The third place Cougars swept the twin bill from the first place Huskies by winning the opening contest 3-1 in 10 innings and taking the nightcap 5-1. Despite the two defeats, Clinton maintained its top position in the standings at 17-5, while the Cougars gained ground and now sit at 15-6-1 for the season.
With the score knotted at 1-1 in the top of the 10th inning of the first game, Shoreline rallied for two runs to take a 3-1 lead that held up as the final. Leadoff hitter Ben Alonzo got it started by drawing a walk off Huskies’ pitcher Drew Walton. After an out, Haddam-Killingworth’s Tyler Popp reached on an error when Clinton’s shortstop’s throw pulled the second baseman off the bag, leaving runners at first and second. Following a strikeout, Shoreline Head Coach Dennis Annicelli sent up pinch hitter Nash Eppard, who was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two down. Ross Meglin of H-K came to the plate and hit a flare to center that dropped in for a single to score two runs, putting the Cougars up 3-1. In the bottom of the 10th, the Huskies loaded the bases with one out versus pitcher Pat O’Leary. The game ended on a wild sequence as Harry White struck out on a check swing, after which Cougars’ catcher Tyler Popp fired to first to pick off the runner and end the game.
“I think the kid on first got confused because the ump’s call [on the strikeout] was delayed and he started moving to second thinking it was a walk, so we got a little lucky there,” Coach Annicelli said. “That’s a really good team. The best we’ve played so far and I told the guys before the game, that if we want to play with them, we have to pick it up. I know we have the potential to play like them and there was a lot of intensity as all the players were on the fence cheering. We also got dominating pitching from Pat [O’Leary].”
Dominating was an understatement as O’Leary, who plays baseball for Choate, went the distance in the 10-inning game.
“I kept asking him if he wanted to come out and he would say he’s fine. When I came out to the mound in the 10th, he was yelling at me to go back before I crossed the line,” said Annicelli. “He wanted to finish the game. That’s the type of fighter he is.”
Alonzo had two hits for Shoreline, including a RBI double in the first inning, and he also scored the go-ahead run in the 10th. H-K students Owen Marica and Justin Popp each had two hits, Valley Regional graduate Evan Makowicki had a hit, Meglin finished with one hit and two RBI, and O’Leary struck out eight in his complete game victory.
For the Huskies, Chad Neri pitched the first seven innings, allowing just one run in the first. Walton took the loss after giving up an unearned run in the top of the 10th. Dylan Ketch scored the Huskies’ lone run in the first inning when Matt Kyle drove him home on a fielder’s choice.
“We played in a tournament in Delaware, which we won, and I gave the guys some time off to rest and I think we came out a little flat. Chad started slow, but then got better, and we had our opportunities to win, but couldn’t get the big hit,” Huskies’ Head Coach Bob Neri said. “On the season, we’ve been playing really well and the kids are giving everything they have.”
In game two, Shoreline came out on top again with a 5-1 victory. Former Valley Regional star Eppard pitched six innings and gave up one run, while striking out 13. For the Huskies, Ray Seward took the loss on the mound as he went three innings and gave up four runs. Clinton, which was the designated road team in this game, struck first for a 1-0 lead in the opening inning. Madden Ward singled to start the game and then Eppard overthrew a pickoff attempt at first, sending Ward to second. Ward later stole third and scored on a wild pitch for the 1-0 advantage. The Cougars struck back with their own run in the bottom of the first as Trevor Mann of HK worked a leadoff walk and scored when O’Leary crushed a pitch to the right field wall for a double on which he was thrown out trying to reach third. Eppard settled down and cruised through the top of the second, then led off the bottom of the inning with a double. Makowicki reached on an error as the shortstop threw wild to first and Eppard came around all the way from second for the go-ahead run and a 2-1 Cougars’ advantage. Mann and Tyler Popp drew walks to load the bases and, after a strikeout, Marica singled to score two more to make it 4-1 in favor of Shoreline. In the bottom of the third, Valley Regional alum Michael Martorelli drew a bases loaded walk to put the Cougars up 5-1, which was the final tally.
For the Cougars, Marica finished with three hits, Tyler Popp had a hit and a run scored, O’Leary doubled and had a RBI, Martorelli had a RBI, Mann had two walks and scored two runs, and Makowicki scored a run.
Ward had two hits, a stolen base, and a run scored, plus Liam Neri pitched four scoreless innings in relief for the Huskies.
From the Sidelines
The Clinton Huskies roster consists of Madden Ward, Dylan Ketch, Will Fritz, Matt Kyle, Cooper Thompson, Nick Caprio, Jared Spanier, Chad Neri, Liam Neri, Jarry White, Anthony Mongillo, Dew Walton, and Ray Seward.
The Shoreline Cougars roster is comprised of Nash Eppard, Luke Bauer, Justin Popp, Tyler Popp, Trevor Mann, Pat O’Leary, Curtis Fetteroll, Kyle Aitken, Gavin Figurelli, Owen Marica, Scott Masse, Ross Meglin, Patrick Trapasso, Michael Martorelli, Jon Grasso, and Evan Mackowicki.