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Centereach drops 7-5 first-round playoff game to Hills West
Baseball
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Making their first playoff appearance since 2002, the fifth ranked Centereach Cougars and 12th seeded Half Hollow Hills West slugged it out through an 11 inning marathon before the Colts won, 7-5, in the opening round of the Suffolk County Class AA baseball playoffs May 19. Tom Donnelly, in relief of Vincent Messana, took the loss for the Cougars while Max Greenough picked up the win, following a strong eight innings by Colts starter T.J. Pecoraro.
"Critical mental errors cost us," said Centereach head coach Mike Herrschaft. "We had some opportunities that we let go by in the ninth."
Messana struggled early, giving up three runs on six hits over the first two innings before settling down. Messana finished strong, going seven innings while surrendering eight hits while fanning six and walking four on 115 pitches. Pecoraro also gave up three runs on eight hits, struck out five and walked no one over eight innings.
An RBI single by Mike Blumenthal and a double by Pecoraro in the top of the 11th put the Colts up 7-5, their fourth lead of the game. This time they were able to hold off the Cougars — something they had yet been able to accomplish — as Greenough set the Cougars down in order in the bottom of the 11th for the win.
Hills West reached Messana for two runs in the top of the first as Blumenthal and Greenough opened the game with singles. Both runners advanced a base on a Messana wild pitch and Blumenthal scored as Messana uncorked a second errant throw. The Colts added another run in the second when Blumenthal lined a single to center plating Mike Kaufman for a 3-0 Colts lead.
The Cougars got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth. With one out Matt Dixon and Ken Willms connected for back-to-back singles. Tyler Bowne followed with a ground rule double scoring Dixon and putting runners on second and third. Bret DeRosa then grounded out to first scoring Willms and moving Bowne to third. But Bowne was left stranded as Messana popped out to short to end the inning.
Centereach tied the game at 3-3 with a single run in the fifth. Cody Lohsen led off with a ground single to left. He was advanced to second on Alex Fuller's sacrifice bunt. After Andrew Abreu grounded out to first moving Lohsen to third James Milani him home with a sharp single to right. The score remained tied at three until the ninth.
In the ninth Hills West took a one-run lead as Greenough drove home Blumenthal with the go ahead run. Down by one and facing Pecoraro for the first time Willms greeted Pecoraro rudely by driving his first offering deep over the left field fence for a home run and a 4-4 tie.
"It was a fastball right down the middle of the plate," said Willms. "I knew it was coming. I felt like he was going to try and beat me."
But the Cougars wasted a golden opportunity immediately thereafter. Bowne followed Willms' dinger with single off the second baseman's glove and DeRosa drew a walk putting runners on first and second with no outs. But a sacrifice bunt turned ugly as Donnelly bunted into a double play leaving DeRosa at second with two down. Pecoraro then enticed Lohsen to ground to second to end the Cougar rally.
The teams again traded runs in the 10th as the Colts scored on an RBI double by Jon Lustberg to go ahead 5-4. The Cougars tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Abreu singled home Alex Fuller who led the inning off with a double.
Tied at 5-5 the Colts finally took the lead for good in the top of the 11th. A one out single to left by Blumenthal and a double to left by Pecoraro lifted the Colts to a 7-5 lead. This time the Cougars didn't have an answer. Greenough set the side down in order to end the game and advance to the next round.
"It was a bit of a disappointment," Willms admitted. "We didn't play like we had all year. Especially in the ninth, when we had the momentum."
The Cougars playoff hopes remain alive thanks to the double elimination format adopted by Section XI this year. They will play Smithtown East, a 4-3 loser to Smithtown West.
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