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Photo Credit: Andrew Jordan

 

 

By Chris Sacchi/Axcess Baseball

 

Game two of the three game HCBL Semifinal playoff series between the Southampton Breakers hosting the Westhampton Aviators was delayed 55 minutes from its 4:30 start, due to umpires that were preoccupied at another game at Baseball Heaven.

After two innings, the game was an absolute slugfest with a score of 7-7, with those two innings taking almost an hour.

Westhampton proceeded to score 10 more runs, while Southampton stayed quiet in a 17-7 loss that eliminated them from the postseason.

In the top of the of the first, ​Daniel Franchi (Binghamton)​, who holds the all time record for hits in a season and hits across a career for the Aviators, fittingly led off with a single. Teammate ​Eric Callahan (Millersville) followed with another single into right, and Franchi sped over to third.

With runners at the corners to open the game, ​Bailey Peterson ​(Michigan State) grounded into a double play, and despite not getting the RBI, drove in the game’s first run off Breakers southpaw starter ​Joe Cinnella (Seton Hall)​.

Just like Franchi in the top of the first, ​Eric Marasheski ​(Princeton) led off with a single and number two hitter ​Johnny Hipsman ​followed with one of his own. ​Michael Ferrara (UNC Greensboro) ​followed with a single, with the runners going station to station to load the bases with no one out.

In a perfect cleanup hitter scenario, ​Robbie Holmes ​(Monmouth) knocked in two runs with a double. After Gerard Sweeney ​(Lehigh) was retired, ​Justice Thompson​ (Northwest Florida State) came to the plate with two runners in scoring position and a chance for the Breakers to build their lead.

Westhampton right fielder ​Bailey Peterson ​had other plans, and gave his starting pitcher ​Kyle Johnson (Stony Brook) ​the “pitchers best friend,” the double play. Peterson caught Thompson’s fly ball for out number two, and fired a bullet home to cut off Ferrara from tagging and scoring from third, ending the inning. After one, Southampton lead 2-1.

In the top of the second, the Aviators took back the lead, and then some, knocking in six runs.

Chaney Dodge (Northwestern State) ​reached with one out, and Dodge is a feared baserunner. He broke the Aviators single season stolen base record of 25 in the regular season, but didn’t need to swipe a bag to advance to second; Cinnella balked to put Dodge into scoring position.

Up next for Westhampton was first baseman ​Sean O’Keefe (Western Michigan). ​O’Keefe’s seven homers tied for the league lead in the regular season. He knocked in his first of six RBI, tying an HCBL playoff record, by doubling and scoring Dodge from second.

David Franchi (NYIT)​, ​Daniel Franchi, ​and ​Eric Callahan ​then walked back-to-back-to-back against Cinella, the final walk forcing in a run. ​Bailey Peterson ​then scored both Franchi brothers on a single.

Jason Bottari ​(Albany) kept the line going by driving in Callahan and Peterson to give the Aviators a 7-2 lead.

Southampton subsequently tied it up at 7 after two innings thanks to another big inning.

After ​Nick Weyant ​(Fairfield) and ​Mason Marquez ​(UC Santa Barbara) both reached to lead off, an error by the Aviators at third base forced bases loaded.

Eric Marasheski ​then grounded into a double play, doing the same as Peterson earlier in the game.

Michael Ferrara ​drove in the next run with a single, and ​Robbie Holmes ​then hit his second double of the day and knocking in his third RBI. ​Gerard Sweeney ​then followed with a two RBI single, and the game was knotted up at a 7-7 tie after two innings of play.

Things were quiet until the fifth, when the home run leader O’Keefe cracked a deep solo shot into left field, and gave his team an 8-7 lead.

In the sixth, Westhampton took off on an offensive explosion, scoring 10 runs and punching their ticket to the championship series.

Peterson, who set the Aviators double record during the regular season, fittingly led off the inning with a double.

Landon Gray (Tennessee) then followed with a grounder to first, but an error allowed Peterson to score, and that set the tone for the rest of the inning, as Southampton looked ready to end their season.

O’Keefe continued his huge day by knocking a three RBI double, and ​John Tuccillo (Stony Brook) ​drove in the last of nine runs after another error in the field from Southampton, and the Aviators led 17-7 heading into the seventh inning stretch.

Also starring for Westhampton in the close out victory was lefty deliver ​Ryan Smith (Boston College), ​who tossed four scoreless innings.

Down 0-1 in the series, Southampton matched Westhampton until that big seventh inning. Despite the tough loss to end their year, Southampton and manager Rob Cafiero finished the season on a 10-8 run, digging themselves out of last place and also winning the wild card game to punch a playoff series with the top seeded Aviators.

 

Westhampton advances to the HCBL Championship Series for the fourth time in five years. A feat that hasn’t been done since the North Fork Ospreys accomplished it between 2009-2013. The Aviators will meet the winner of Game 3 between Riverhead and Sag Harbor on Saturday in their Semifinal series.