Shelter Island 11, North Fork 1 (6.5 Innings)

The Shelter Island Bucks continued where they left off last season, defeating the North Fork Ospreys in the HCBL playoffs to advance to the HCBL Championship Series.

On Opening Night in the HCBL, the Bucks, led by a two-home run, five-RBI game from John Gannon (St. Lawrence), beat the North Fork Ospreys by a final score of 11-1 at Cochran Park in Peconic.

North Fork got out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single from Thomas Matuszewski (Mount St. Mary’s). The Ospreys would hold onto the lead until the top of the third when the Bucks tied the score on a bases loaded walk to Mikey Rodriguez (Mount St. Mary’s).

Shelter Island took the lead in the top of the fourth inning on a throwing error that scored Jack Vallario (Fordham). This was followed by Gannon's first of two home runs, making the score 4-1 in favor of Shelter Island.

The Bucks would rally for six runs in the top of the sixth, highlighted by a two-run single from Gannon and another two-run single by Alex Barrist (Lafayette).

Gannon came up to bat to lead off the top of the seventh inning and hit his second home run of the night, putting the ten-run mercy rule in effect, ending the game, and giving the win to Shelter Island.

Dylan Joseph (RIT) earned the win for the Bucks in his first start of the season, going five innings, allowing a run on one hit with six strikeouts and a walk.

Sag Harbor 2, North Fork 2 (5 Innings)

The Sag Harbor Whalers and Southampton Breakers played to a 2-2 tie in a game that was called after five innings due to rain at Southampton High School.

The Breakers scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single from Patrick Gozdan (West Chester).

Sag Harbor would take the lead in the top of the fourth inning, scoring two runs on an RBI single from Kieran Shea (St. John’s) and a sacrifice fly by Jared Shear.

The Breakers would tie the score on a sacrifice fly from Nick Slogik (Rowan College at Gloucester) before the rains would come down, forcing the end of the game.

Kevin Baez (Thomas Jefferson) had a strong pitching performance in his season debut for Southampton, going four innings, allowing just two runs on two hits with four strikeouts and three walks.