By Greg Diener

The Riverhead Tomcats were in this same situation before. Last season in the HCBL semi-final round against the Westhampton Aviators in Game 1 they had an eight-run lead that they let slip away as Westhampton ended up winning the highest scoring game in league history by a final of 20-16.

On Tuesday, the Tomcats had a nine-run lead after the first three innings but gave up the lead as the Aviators scored nine runs in the fourth to tie the game. However, this time around the Tomcats would not falter and they would ultimately come away with a 15-11 victory at Aviator Field.

The game started with a leadoff home run by Tyler Sanfilippo (Wagner) to give the Tomcats a 1-0 lead. Riverhead would then explode for eight runs in the top of the second inning as they sent eleven batters to the plate. The highlight of the inning would be a three-run home run from Xavier Vargas (Rhode Island) that would give the Tomcats a 9-0 lead.

Riverhead starting pitcher Tyler Henry (Dayton) it seemed was going to have a comfortable day with a huge nine-run cushion. The Dayton Flyer had started the game retiring the first nine Aviator batters he faced but Westhampton has previously shown this season that no deficit is too much to overcome.

After the leadoff batter reached base on an error, Tyler Becker (Adelphi) got the Aviators on the scoreboard with a two-run home run for his eighth on the season. Later in the inning with two men on and one out Tristan Welch (LSU Eunice) went deep to cut the deficit to within four runs with a three-run shot.

A sacrifice fly by David Hogarth (William & Mary) would score another Westhampton run, putting Becker at the plate for the second time in the inning against Henry. Becker would take a pitch to right field to become the first player in HCBL history to hit two home runs in a single inning and just like that the game was tied at 9-9.

But Riverhead would answer after being down on the mat in the next half inning. Connor Echols (Dayton) delivered an RBI single that scored Trevor Fagan (Sacred Heart) putting the Tomcats back in front 10-9.

The Aviators would tie the game again in the bottom of the sixth. Becker would reach first on an error and then advance to second on a single by John Russo (Post). Ethan Hajdukovic (Western Michigan) laced a double down the right field line scoring Becker to tie the game at 10-10. Tomcats reliever Joe Murphy (NYIT) would retire the next two Aviator hitters to keep the score tied.

Westhampton would break the tie in the bottom of the eighth when Hajdukovic hit another RBI double this time off Casey Aubin (UMass) to put the Aviators ahead for the first time in the ballgame. Westhampton would go to the top of the ninth up 11-10.

Riverhead would lead off the top of the ninth with a single by Alex Baratta (Binghamton) off Aviators reliever Zack Hersh (Duke). Westhampton would turn to Joe Greco (Sacred Heart) but he would load the bases with one out as Louis Antos (Queens) came off the bench to pinch hit. An error by Westhampton would score a run to tie the game at 11-11.

Sanfilippo would come up to the plate and give Riverhead the lead with a two-run double. Echols followed with insurance on a two-run single to put the Tomcats up by four runs. Beau Keathley (Oakland) pitched a scoreless ninth as the Tomcats escaped with the road victory.

The Tomcats with the win improved to 12-10-3 and are now within one point of Westhampton (14-10) for second place in the HCBL standings.