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The Southampton Breakers came into Wednesday’s road game against the Shelter Island Bucks in last place in the HCBL standings at 2-6. Early on into the game, it looked like Southampton would add another loss onto the record, but Southampton would make an incredible comeback down eight runs at one point to win by a final of 12-11.

The Bucks would strike early talking an 8-0 lead at the end of three innings. Shelter Island would score six runs in the bottom of the second and a pair of runs in the third.

In Shelter Island’s six-run rally, Mike Casaleggio (Marist) would give the Bucks the first run of the game on an RBI single. Andrew DuPont (St. John’s) would then get a bases loaded walk for Shelter Island’s second run.

The Bucks would get the third run of the inning on a wild pitch and then later Mike Nyisztor (Rutgers) then singled in a run to make the score 3-0. A Southampton error would score DuPont from third base for the fifth run. Dylan Robertson (St. Mary’s (CA) would bring in the final run of the inning on an RBI single.

Shelter Island would get their two runs in the third inning on back-to-back RBI singles from Jake MacKenzie (Fordham) and DuPont and the Breakers found themselves in an 8-0 hole.

The Breakers would chip away at the lead in the top of the fourth when Ryan Hatten (VMI) led off with his fourth home run of the season. Mario Camilletti (Oakland) would then hit a double and come around to score on an RBI single from Daniel Alfonzo (Adelphi). Southampton would get another run in the fifth on an error by Shelter Island.

Shelter Island would put the lead back to eight with a three-run bottom of the fifth inning. The Bucks would get RBI’s from MacKenzie, DuPont and Nyisztor. Shelter Island would have an 11-3 lead at the end of five.

But the Breakers would not stay down, James Boria (Franklin Pierce) came up to the plate for Southampton with two on and two out. Boria on a full count got a base hit that scored two runs for the Breakers.

After Jordan Schulefand (Richmond) reached on an error, an overthrow on a double steal brought in Boria to score. Southampton was now back within five of the Bucks.

The Breakers would cut the deficit to two runs in the top of the eighth when Southampton scored three times on the result of a wild pitch and a pair of Shelter Island errors.

In the top of the ninth, the Breakers would get back-to-back singles with one out from Davis Payne (Richmond) and Jimmy Joyce (Hofstra). Cam Post (Oakland) hit a ball in the infield that could have been a potential game-ending double play, but the ball could not be fielded as Post reached base as a result of the error to load the bases.

Boria then came up to bat and smacked a bases clearing double to give the Breakers the lead. Southampton who at one point was down by scores of 8-0 and 11-3 now found themselves ahead.

Schulefand who was in his fourth inning of relief retired the Bucks 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to complete the comeback win for the Breakers. Schulefand in addition to earning the win also set a new HCBL single game record for stolen bases with six. Schulefand broke the previous record of four stolen bases in a game which was accomplished thirteen times during the first ten HCBL seasons.

Boria had five RBI on the day for the Breakers, while on the losing side, MacKenzie finished with a 4-for-5 day at the plate for the Bucks. The win was Southampton's second victory on the road over Shelter Island this season. The Breakers had previously beaten the Bucks 5-4 on Opening Day back on June 1st.

Southampton (3-6) will face Sag Harbor on Thursday at Mashashimuet Park in Sag Harbor. Shelter Island (4-6) will have an off day on Thursday but will play Long Island and Riverhead at the HCBL Tripleheader at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank on Friday.