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Ken Kortright State Farm Game of the Week: Gritty Clarke Overcomes 3-0 Deficit, Improves to 14-1-1 On the Season

If you’re going to beat Clarke, you have to take an early lead and continue to pile on and not allow them the chance to build momentum and mount a comeback as they are always capable of. Looking to salvage Game 3 of a crucial three-game series, Mineola took an early 3-0 lead on the road, but were unable to add any insurance runs which allowed the Clarke offense to overcome and ultimately complete the three-game sweep with a 4-3 win.

George Neofitidis got the start for the Rams and he got into some early trouble. After retiring the first batter, Mike Duda singled to left field, and Andrew Basel followed with a single of his own. After Jack Ryan popped out for the second out, Peter Haralambidis reached on an E3 which allowed a run to score and the next batter, Eric Van Grembergen singled home a run to make it 2-0.

New Paltz-commit Nick Kostulias started for Mineola, and he was sharp out of the jump. He worked around a leadoff double and escaped with a 1-4 DP on a line drive back to him. He also threw a 1-2-3 second inning, and worked around a one-out single to AJ Cumbo in the third inning.

In the top of the third, Mineola added another run. After Duda struck out to start the inning, Andrew Basel walked and Jack Ryan reached on an E6. Van Grembergen drove in his second run of the game with a sac fly to center field. While it was still early in the game, a 3-run cushion is generally a comfortable one but not against a team like Clarke.

They got all the runs back at once in the fourth inning.

After JJ Palumbo was retired for the first out, Giancarlo Rengifo singled and so did Nick Berasti to bring up Tom Roche who came through with an RBI single that got Clarke on the board. Dylan Vikara came up against Mineola’s reliever and this is where Clarke was able to receive a bit of good fortunes as both runners were in motion and the ball was hit in the air to right center field Had the ball hung up just a bit more or hit more towards center, it’s an easy double play. Instead, the ball dropped just out of the outstretched reach of the CF and both runners were able to scamper home to tie the game.

After Neofitidis also hit a single, the inning was ended with a 5-4-3 double play around the horn.

Jarret Sarrantonio came on in relief for Clarke and he was outstanding. He stranded two runners in the fifth inning with a comeback to him. Andrew Basel and Jack Ryan had singled to put the go-ahead run in scoring position.

In the home half of the fifth, James Beckworth led off with a walk and stole second to get himself into scoring position. Deljanin came through with a clutch RBI single through the left side to give Clarke the 4-3 lead.

That was essentially it, as Sarrantonio was nails in the late innings, and threw a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th to shut the door.

Clarke improves to 14-1-1 on the season, as they prepare to face Wantagh next weekend in the final series before the playoffs.