Photo Credit: Christine Heeren/Artist Lake Media

By Matt Weinstein/Axcess Baseball

Westhampton defeated the Riverhead Tomcats in Game 1 on Monday, putting themselves in position to clinch the title on the road.

The Tomcats sent NYIT’s Bobby Vath to the mound in an attempt to force a decisive Game 3. Vath was the Hamptons League regular season leader in strikeouts and ERA, as he put together one of the most dominant resumes in the league. Vath worked through a leadoff single from Daniel Franchi (Binghamton) and got three ground ball outs to end the top of the first inning.

Boston College southpaw Ryan Smith got the start for Westhampton, and he threw a very similar first inning. A leadoff base hit for UMass Lowell’s Robert Gallagher, and a walk were the only damage, as the game was scoreless through the first.

Vath fired a 1-2-3 top of the second, sending his Tomcats to the plate with a bit of early momentum. Smith got the first two outs on just two pitches, but then he found himself in some trouble. Markell Graham of East Tennessee State singled to center, followed by a walk to Penn State Shortstop Isaiah Payton. Gallagher singled for the second straight time to load the bases, and Jason Coules (Fordham), the regular season batting title winner at .407, hit a hard ground ball to second base which was misplayed, allowing an unearned run to score. The Tomcats took a 1-0 lead into the third inning.

Westhampton designated hitter John Tuccillo of Stony Brook lead off the top of the third reaching on an error. Back to back singles from David and Daniel Franchi drove Tuccillo in to tie the game at one.

Once the game was tied, both Vath and Smith retired the side in order in their next innings of work. In the bottom of the fourth, Riverhead left fielder Graham walked, and scored on an Isaiah Payton double to the left field wall, giving Riverhead a 2-1 lead after four full innings.

The top of the fifth inning was the difference maker for the Aviators. Down 2-1, Sean O’Keefe (Western Michigan) reached on an error after hitting a hard ground ball to short. Tuccillo followed it up by being hit by a pitch. David Franchi (NYIT) originally intended on laying down a sacrifice bunt, but Vath had some control issues during the at bat, and walked Franchi to load the bases with nobody out. Vath was able to bounce back and strike out Daniel Franchi for a huge out number one. Millersville Shortstop Eric Callahan stepped to the plate and crushed a three-run triple to the base of the left center field wall. Bailey Peterson (Michigan State) followed it up with a bloop single into right, scoring Callahan for the fourth run of the inning, giving Westhampton a 5-2 lead after the top of the fifth.

Ryan Smith gave up just one baserunner on a walk in the fifth inning but was able to close the door in his final inning of work. Both starters left the game after five full innings. Vath gave up five runs, three earned, on five hits while striking out four. Smith gave up just two runs, one earned, giving up four hits, while striking out six.

Looking to pull out all the stops, Riverhead sent their closer Joshua Becker of UMass Lowell to the mound in the top of the sixth. He gave up a one out single to O’Keefe, but he was erased on a 6-4-3 double play. Becker ended up throwing three innings, giving up two runs on three hits.

Western Michigan right hander Brenden Lovell took the mound for Westhampton in the bottom of the sixth. He gave up just one hit, in his two innings of work.

Westhampton plated two more runs in the top of the eighth. Jason Bottari of Albany singled, followed by a walk to Chaney Dodge (Northwestern State). O’Keefe dropped down a sacrifice bunt but reached on a throwing error to load the bases. A John Tuccillo sacrifice fly scored Bottari. David Franchi singled to center which scored Dodge, but O’Keefe was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second. Westhampton took a 7-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth.

Westhampton sent all-star relief pitcher Logan Verrino of Florida Southern to the mound for the bottom of the eighth. With his first pitch, he hit Brian Morrell (Notre Dame), but settled down and got two straight fly ball outs. Robert Gallagher then recorded his fourth hit of the game, a double to left field wall that sent Morrell to third base. Jason Coules stepped to the plate with two away, still looking for his first hit of the game. He singled to center field, scoring Morrell. Gallagher tried to stretch it from second but he was thrown out at the plate by an absolute missile from Center Fielder Daniel Franchi from well above 300 feet away for the final out of the inning. 7-3 Westhampton heading into the ninth.

NYIT’s Alex Doskoez took the mound for Riverhead in the ninth, firing a perfect frame. Down 7-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Riverhead would send the heart of their lineup to the plate, but they would have to face Westhampton ace Erubiel Candelario of Marist College as he trotted to the mound from the bullpen to shut the door on the Tomcats hopes of repeating as champions. Candelario got three straight ground ball outs, crowning the Westhampton Aviators champions of the Hamptons League in 2019.

Eric Callahan was named series MVP. Throughout the two game series, he was 4 for 9 with a home run while driving in eight RBI and scoring twice.

No other team in the Hamptons League has won the championship more than twice, however the Aviators are celebrating their fourth title after their victory at Veterans Memorial Park in Calverton, on Tuesday night.