Whalers Walk-Off in Game 1 of the HCBL Championship Series
Photo Credit: Demetrius Kazanas
The Sag Harbor Whalers won their second playoff game with a walk-off at home in the 2022 HCBL postseason.
The Whalers came back from a 5-2 deficit in the bottom of the eighth to take Game 1 of the 2022 HCBL Championship Series over the Westhampton Aviators by a final score of 6-5.
It was a battle between two pitchers from Gettysburg in the pitching match-up between Westhampton's Teo Torrado and Sag Harbor’s Cole Wong.
Torrado and Wong matched each other on the scoreboard as both pitchers did not allow a run in the first two innings of play.
Westhampton would get the game’s first run in the top of the third on an RBI groundout by Tyler Smith (St. Peters) that scored Alex Ungar (Brookdale CC) that gave the Aviators a 1-0 lead.
Westhampton would get a pair of runs in the fourth inning when Greg Becil (Lehigh) had an RBI fielder’s choice and Ungar brought in a run on a single.
The Whalers would get on the board in the bottom of the fourth when a Westhampton error on a grounder by Billy Kender (Bucknell) allowed Jackson Sattinger (Hamilton) to score.
Sag Harbor would cut the score to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth when John Lopez (Saint Katherine) hit an RBI groundout that scored Mike Maher (Wheaton)
In the top of the seventh, Wyatt Benson (Hope International) who came on in relief for the Whalers would allow four walks and a double which allowed the Aviators to score two runs to take a 5-2 lead.
Sag Harbor then called on Ryan Corbett (Southwestern) to limit the damage to two runs. Corbett would get two strikeouts and a pop-up to short to keep the game at 5-2 Westhampton.
Torrado for Westhampton would finish after the bottom of the seventh with three strikeouts and a walk after allowing just the two runs on five hits as the Aviators went to the bullpen.
In the bottom of the eighth, Sag Harbor would load the bases with two out when Sebastian Kirchner (Cal Poly) walked Tom O’Connor (Cincinnati) as the Whalers would cut the score to 5-3.
A wild pitch would allow two runs to score for the Whalers as Sag Harbor tied the game at 5-5.
In the bottom of the ninth, Westhampton quickly retired the first two Whalers batters. Cam Santerre (Rhode Island College) would single followed by a walk to John Lopez bringing Jackson Sattinger to the plate.
Sattinger would hit a single to right field allowing Santerre to score from second base putting the Whalers one win away from their first HCBL championship since 2008.
WATCH HCBL BROADCASTER JOHN BOCCIO'S POSTGAME INTERVIEW WITH SAG HARBOR'S JACKSON SATTINGER
The 2022 HCBL Championship Series continues at Aviator Field in Westhampton Beach on Saturday at 4 PM. In the event of a Westhampton win on Saturday the third and deciding game will be played if necessary at Mashashimuet Park on Sunday.
