By Jesse Borek
The good: they managed to get in both legs of the doubleheader this afternoon at the Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex in Westbury. The bad: the rain that was rumored to hit the area did indeed soak those in attendance, making for less than ideal conditions. Ultimately, the Old WestburyPanthers would split their two-game day against the St. Joseph’s (Brooklyn) Bears, winning the opener 7-1 in seven innings, and dropping the backend, 3-2 in eight innings.
“Timmy was big for us today,” said assistant coach Lou Bernardi, “Good to get the first one out of the way.”
Tossing his first complete game of the season in the opener was senior ace Tim Ingram. Going the distance, Ingram would allow only a single run (albeit, an unearned one), while giving up five hits, walking none, and striking out seven with an efficient 99-pitch effort.
Aiding Ingram in getting his fourth win of the season was the massive six-run fifth inning the Panthers dropped on St. Joe’s.
Senior first baseman Christian Faust brought the thunder on offense, with both of his at-bats being doubles that brought in runs. He put OW on the board in the bottom of the fourth, before clearing the bases in the next frame, blowing the game wide open and giving the Panthers a 7-0 cushion.
Also helping out with the bat was junior outfielder Matthew Taurisani, who went 2-for-3. His bases loaded, two-RBI single in the bottom of the fifth put OW up 4-0.
In one of the odder moments of the baseball season up to this point, Ingram’s breaking pitch was so deceptive during an at-bat in the top of the fifth that he fooled the batter, catcher, and umpire, all at the same time. Whether it was a cross-up with senior catcher Brandon Stein or not, the pitch bent, but didn’t stop going until it caught home plate umpire Mike Williams right below the chest protector, and right above the knees. Thankfully, Williams would venture out to become the base paths umpire for the second leg.
Despite St. Joseph’s 6-10 record entering the second game, sweeping both ends of a doubleheader is always difficult. “You like to win one and have that no matter what,” said Bernardi, “Now we want to try and grab another.”
Despite a late rally in the bottom of the sixth that knotted the game up at two, the Panthers would fall in extra innings in the second contest
After the bats were steaming in the opener, they quieted down in the second game of the day, mustering just five hits, as St. Joe’s returned the favor with a complete game effort of their own.
Now sitting at 10-5, the Panthers will take the weekend to recover before welcoming in Baruch College (8-12) on Monday, April 6, at 3 p.m. at home for a one-game tilt.