Sports

Hewlett Stuns South Side in Extras, Lose 5-4

Cyclones rally to tie the game in the seventh, but Hewlett gets the walk-off hit in the 8th.

South Side's trademark this season has been its potent offense and stingy defense.

Against Hewlett on Wednesday, however, the Cyclones stranded ten runners and played sloppy defense, leading to a stunning 5-4 extra-inning loss to the Bulldogs in the final game of the season.

The loss will most likely drop South Side (12-5) to an overall six seed in the playoffs, which start Saturday. The Cyclones first-round matchup won't be determined until later today, but potential opponents could either be Garden City or Island Trees.

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Head Coach Keith Lessuk was furious with his team's level of play against Hewlett, who before Wednesday's game, had one win the entire season.

"I told them we came out flat, played ugly and we can't do that," he said. "Here's our gut check. Are we going to fold up or work harder starting tomorrow? New season starts tomorrow."

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After being down the entire game, South Side fought back down 4-2 in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs off Bulldogs ace Spencer Prusak to tie the game at four and send it to extra innings. But there was no rally in the eighth for the Cyclones, and Hewlett's George Josiah drove in the game-winning run in the bottom half to give the Bulldogs its second win of the season. 

The Bulldogs stormed the field after the walk-off win, and head coach Andy DeBernardo said his team finally played up to its potential.

"I told them, 'What took so long? Seventeen games and now they decided we might want to play some ball?' he joked. "It was unbelievable, everyone contributed in one way or another."

Hewlett's starter Lyle Alper pitched a six-inning gem, throwing 95 pitches while surrendering two runs on six hits. The Cyclones didn't get their first run until the fifth inning, and it was South Side who couldn't get the clutch hit with runners in scoring position. The Cyclones had runners on in the first three innings, but failed to get the clutch hit.

Hewlett scored on South Side starter Andrew Talbot in the second via an RBI groundout by Russ Schneider (1-for-4, RBI). Senior Ross Kleinrock (1-for-4, RBI) drove in another run in the third, and Josiah ( 3-for-4, 2 RBIs) drove in Jake Miller with an RBI single in the fourth to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

South Side finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth after James Howard (2-for-2, RBI, 2 BBs) drove in Joe Geraci with an RBI single to center to cut Hewlett's lead to 3-1. In the sixth with two men on, South Side's David Hawley hit a soft liner to third, but it ricocheted off Miller's glove, allowing Talbot to score to slice Hewlett's lead to 3-2. 

The Bulldogs added another run in the sixth off Miller's RBI triple to increase its lead to 4-2. DeBernardo called on Prusak to pitch the seventh, but South Side scored twice off the ace to tie the game at four. In the bottom of the eighth with one out, Griffin Wagner gave up back to back singles to give the Bulldogs hope. After Schneider grounded out, Josiah laced a 2-1 fastball down the right field line for the walk-off win.

South Side will play in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. The opponent and start time has not been determined.

BOX SCORE

AB H RBI BB K RS Thomas Kane 5 0 0 0 1 0 Joe Geraci 5 2 0 0 0 2 Matt Sollin 1 1 0 3 0 1 James Howard 2 2 1 2 0 0 Lou Matarazzo 4 0 0 0 2 0 Andrew Talbot 3 2 0 1 0 1 Evan Singer 4 1 1 0 0 0 Dylan Leary 4 0 0 0 0 0 David Hawley 4 1 1 0 1 0 IP H R ER BB SO NP A. Talbot 6 10 4 4 1 4 90 G. Wagner 2 3 1 1 0 2 18

WP: S. Prusak

LP: G. Wagner


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