Photo Credit: Adam Bundy

Shelter Island 4, North Fork 3

On a breezy Tuesday night at Cochran Park in Peconic, the Shelter Island Bucks earned a pivotal 4-3 victory over the North Fork Ospreys, tightening the playoff race in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League. With the win, Shelter Island pulled into a three-way tie for second place with Sag Harbor and Southampton, while the first-place Ospreys suffered their third straight defeat.

The Bucks opened the scoring early, plating a run in the top of the first inning. Alex Barrist (Lafayette) reached base on an error and later scored on an RBI single from Tommy Munch (Occidental). Shelter Island added single runs in the third, fourth, and sixth innings, manufacturing offense through a combination of patient at-bats, stolen bases, and timely hitting.

With the score tied at 3-3 in the top of the sixth, an error by the Ospreys allowed Matt Holmes (Husson) to score from second base to give the Bucks the lead, which they would hold in the final inning and a half.

Munch was key to the Bucks' attack, going 2-for-3. Barrist also contributed, scoring twice and swiping two bases to push his season total to 12.

The Ospreys answered in the second when Anthony Equale (Washington (MO) launched his first home run of the season, a solo shot to tie the game 1-1. They closed the gap again in the fifth, stringing together a two-run rally behind a two-run double from Cristian Rodriguez (Pace) to get within a run, putting the score at 4-3 in favor of the Bucks.

Despite multiple chances late in the game, the Ospreys left nine runners on base, unable to push across the tying run.

Shelter Island starter Diego Sarabia (Bates) kept the Ospreys’ potent lineup mostly in check, striking out nine over four innings while allowing just one run on two hits. Joe LaPrade (St. Lawrence) earned the win in relief, navigating through trouble in his three innings of work. He surrendered two runs but struck out five and stranded the potential tying and winning runs on base in the seventh to seal the win.

North Fork’s Chris Campanella (UMBC) battled through 5.1 innings, giving up three runs (one earned) while striking out four, but was undone by defensive miscues. Brian Espinal (Pace) took the loss in relief, allowing a key insurance run in the sixth inning.

The Ospreys’ offense, despite six hits, couldn’t capitalize when it mattered most, striking out 14 times. Thomas Matuszewski (Jefferson) led North Fork with two hits, raising his batting average to a scorching .446.

Sag Harbor 4, Westhampton 2

The Sag Harbor Whalers picked up a critical road win on Tuesday, defeating the Westhampton Aviators 4-2 at the Bridgehampton School behind strong pitching and opportunistic baserunning to solidify their position in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League playoff race.

Sag Harbor’s pitching staff combined for a resilient effort. Everett Garber (Bucknell) got the start and tossed two scoreless innings, working around a walk and a pair of hit batters. Adam Gross (Raritan Valley CC) followed with three shutout frames, scattering three hits and striking out three to earn his first win of the season. Ethan Righter (Hamilton) closed out the final two innings, allowing a pair of late runs but preserving the lead for the Whalers.

The Aviators’ offense was limited to six hits, with Westhampton’s only runs coming on a solo home run from Grant Kennedy (Richmond) in the sixth and an RBI double from Jasper Adelman (Lehigh) in the seventh.

Sag Harbor got on the board in the third inning from a sacrifice fly by Tyler Sirchia (Dartmouth). The Whalers would add another run in the inning on an RBI single from Matteo Cubello (St. Anselm).

The Whalers padded their lead in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Dylan Kennedy-Fujah (St. John’s) and a Chris Morabito (Bucknell) RBI single.

Westhampton’s starter Luke Savage (Kenyon) kept his team in the game, allowing two runs over five innings while striking out three, but the Aviators struggled to solve Sag Harbor’s pitching. Paden Mather (Wagner) allowed two more runs in relief, walking three and striking out four across two innings.

For Sag Harbor, Morabito led the way with two hits and two stolen bases, while Eric Wallick (Vassar) swiped three bases and scored twice. Righter contributed two hits and two stolen bases as well, exemplifying the Whalers’ aggressive style on the basepaths.

Westhampton’s Tim Ford (Fordham) and Adelman each collected hits, with Adelman adding a double, but the Aviators left 10 men on base in the loss.