LIB Prime wasted no time taking a 1-0 lead after just two batters when Billy McAdam drove in Mike Cartusciello with a line drive double to right-center field. They opened up a 5-0 lead with a four-run third inning and it appeared they had the game in-hand.
The Crawfish, however, mounted a furious rally in the top of the fourth with five runs to tie it up at 5-5.
Both teams’ offense went dormant for the final three innings and the game ended in a tie.
The Crawfish’s rally began with a hit by pitch of Nick Raggione. Consecutive singles from Nick Romano and T.J. Noonan loaded the bases for Bobby Heffernon who drew a walk for their first run of the game. A routine DP was thrown away by the shortstop to score another run and another bases loaded walk to John Girgonis brought in their third run. Cole Dougherty followed with an RBI single with runners on second and third but the trailing runner was thrown out at the plate to end the inning with the score deadlocked.
LIB Prime brought in Josh Monturo (Bayport-Blue Point ’18), who was lights-out for the next three innings.
The starter for the Crawfish, Bobby Heffernon was able to settle down and fire shutout innings in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings despite an elevated pitch count.
In the bottom of the seventh, LIB Prime had a golden opportunity to scratch across the winning run.
After a strikeout, McAdam was hit by a pitch and stole second. The following batter, Peter Zelinski reached on an infield error to put runners on 1st and 2nd for the dangerous Nick DeMicco. He roped one to third that bounced off the chest of the third baseman to load the bases.
That would do it for Heffernon, who was at 121 pitches. The relief pitcher came in and struck out Monturo and induced an infield line out to the second baseman by Dylan Judd that ended the game in a 5-5 tie.
LIB Prime has played 11 games in eight days (including their tournament at Diamond Nation) and certainly tired out towards the latter innings. They are now 4-2-1 on the season.