PLAYOFFS: Division Grabs Game 1 vs. Cyclones, 4-2

This time, there was no late-inning rally for the comeback kids from South Side.

In Game 1 of the best-of-three series against Division in the Class A quarterfinals on Thursday, the Blue Dragons scored two runs in a two-out, sixth-inning rally to break a 2-2 tie, and held on to beat South Side, 4-2.

Division's Sean Abbate threw 109 pitches in a complete-game win, giving up seven hits and one earned run while striking out five. His counterpart, South Side ace Christian Colletti, pitched well in the loss, hurling 93 pitches over six innings while giving up three earned runs without walking a batter.

South Side Head Coach Keith Lessuk said both teams played well, but Division simply got the timely hits. "I don't think we were off balance all day," Lessuk said of how his hitters fared against Abbate. "We put the ball in play, hit the ball hard, but we didn't score more runs. It was a well-played game on both sides of the field, and they just scored more runs."

Down 4-2 with one out in the bottom of the seventh and speedster David Hawley on first, Joe Geraci struck out and Division catcher Matt McNamara nabbed Hawley trying to steal second for the double play to end the game.

Asked why Hawley was stealing on an 0-2 pitch with one out, Lessuk said that Hawley had a green light to steal all year, and he was fine with the play.

JJ Kissane (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) had the big hit for Division in the sixth inning to break the 2-2 tie. With two outs and a runner on first, Kissane ripped a liner to right. Right fielder James Howard nearly made a diving, highlight reel catch, but the ball snuck under his glove and Kissane trotted into third with an RBI triple. Matt Santorufo (2-for-3, RBI, run scored) followed with an RBI  single to give the Blue Dragons a 4-2 lead. 

"JJ Kissane had the big hit down the line," Division Head Coach Tom Tuttle said. "The outfielder dove for it, tried to make a great play, but it got past him. We were lucky enough to get the run. Big hit for JJ."

From the fifth inning on, Abbate retired eight of 10 South Side batters, and only Howard reached scoring position. Six of nine Cyclone starters recorded hits, but none were with runners in scoring position. 

South Side scored both their runs in the second inning, and one was via a pass ball that allowed Howard to score from third. Dylan Leary's sacrifice fly scored Louis Matarazzo and gave the Cyclones a 2-1 lead.

Division tied it in the fifth after an error on shortstop Andrew Talbot let McNamara score from second. 

South Side does have history on its side. They lost the first game of the regular season series against Division at Barasch Field against Abbate, but then went on to beat the Blue Dragons the next two games.

The Cyclones will play in an elimination game today at Division at 4:30 p.m.