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Reigning Suffolk AAA Champs Connetquot Earn Another Double-Digit Victory

by Trevor Dugan

Defending Suffolk County AAA champion Connetquot continued their hot start to the season on Saturday with a 12-1 victory over Bay Shore at Moriches Sports Complex, defeating the south shore school for the second straight game. 

Starting on the mound for Connetquot was St. Joseph’s-commit RHP Jack Doucet, who dominated from the first pitch, working six strong innings of one-run ball while striking out nine batters. Starting opposite him was Bay Shore sophomore RHP Jack LaGrange. The Marauders SP also had his strikeout stuff working, amassing six Ks over 3.1 innings pitched.

Matthew Lineman led off the game for Connetquot with a base hit to center field, then stole second base. Next the speedy outfielder attempted to steal third, but the throw down sailed into left field, allowing him to score the first run of the game and give Connetquot an early 1-0 lead. LaGrange limited the damage to one, and recorded two strikeouts to end the top of the frame.

Doucet came out and pitched a very quick shutdown inning in the bottom of the first, picking up his first of nine strikeouts. LaGrange was able to match him with a scoreless frame of his own in the top of the second, ending it with his third strikeout of the day. 

LaGrange came to the plate in the bottom of the second and ripped a two out line drive into center field, just past Doucet’s outstretched glove for a base hit. The Connetquot starter worked around Bay Shore’s first baserunner to preserve the slim 1-0 cushion heading into the third inning. 

Following a ground out to begin the top of the third, Connetquot sophomore Tyler Cope launched his first of three doubles on the day to put himself in scoring position with one out. Next to hit was the leadoff man Lineman, who delivered an RBI single to right field to bring Cope in to score and extend the Connetquot lead to 2-0. 

Jagger Adamo strode to the plate next and was intentionally walked, a fate he would meet twice more before day’s end. A double steal put two runners in scoring position with two out for Axcess Baseball Preseason All-Long Island first baseman DJ Filippone. Despite the tough situation, LaGrange was able to strikeout the imposing Mercy commit for his fourth K of the day and keep things close heading into the bottom of the third.

Once again Doucet delivered a shutdown frame in the bottom of the third for the T-Birds. The junior forced a groundout, strikeout, and popout for a 1-2-3 inning, allowing his offense to go right back to work. 

The top of the fourth was a breakthrough half-inning for Connetquot that saw them plate five runs and blow the game wide open. Michael Mallon led the fourth off with a single, then stole second and third. LaGrange struck out the next batter, then in a 3-2 count to Damian Sosa, Mallon broke for home from third base and Sosa squared to bunt. The pitch got past the catcher and bounced to the backstop, allowing Sosa to reach first and Mallon to score, pushing the lead to 3-0.

Next to bat was Chris Steeneck, who drew a walk, then the sophomore Cope who loaded the bases with an infield single. The lineup turned back over for the T-Birds’ leadoff batter Lineman, who drew a bases loaded walk to stretch the lead to 4-0. 

At this point LaGrange exited the game with the bases loaded and one out. The Bay Shore sophomore pitched a solid game despite some bad luck behind him, allowing just one earned run and showing off legit strikeout stuff. RHP Chris DiGiovanni relieved him on the mound. 

Connetquot would score thrice more in the inning, with one scoring on an errant throw to home plate on a chopper to first, and two coming in on an RBI single by DI-bound Adamo before DiGiovanni recorded the third out. The T-Birds took a 7-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth. 

Doucet kept cruising though the Bay Shore lineup in the bottom of the fourth, setting the Bay Shore hitters down in order for the second straight inning. His offense continued to grow the lead in the top of the fifth, bringing in two more runs thanks to an RBI single by left fielder Steeneck. 9-0 was the difference heading to the bottom of the fifth.

Bay Shore put their first man in scoring position to start their half of the fifth when center fielder Casey Opatovsky swatted a double to the wall. Doucet responded by striking out the next three batters in order, registering his fifth, sixth, and seventh strikeouts of the game and stranding Opatovsky on second to end the inning. 

Keeping their foot on the gas in the top of the sixth, Connetquot extended their lead to double digits when Danny Ryan hit a laser beam over the left-center field wall to make it 10-0. In the back half of the frame, Bay Shore needed to score at least one run to avoid being mercied. Farmingdale State-commit Tyler Leach came through with a solo shot to right field to break Doucet’s shutout and keep Bay shore alive. It was the first run allowed by Connetquot so far this season. Doucet finished the sixth inning, and his start, with his ninth strikeout of the day. 

Two more runs came across for Connetquot in the top of the seventh on an E6, extending their lead to 12-1. The final half inning saw Doucet relieved by Jake LaMura, who had trouble finding the strike zone and was quickly replaced by Matthew Callea after two walks. Callea finished off the victory by forcing a 6-3 double play to end things at 12-1. 

After a trip to the Long Island Championship in 2025, Connetquot appears determined to reach another. Their lineup, which has scored 22 runs over their first two games, features several players who will be playing at the next level, including reigning league MVP and LIU commit Jagger Adamo, and Mount Saint Mary’s commit Matt Lineman. Their rotation is anchored by Mercy College-commit DJ Filippone and Saturday’s player of the game Jack Doucet. Expect this T-Birds team to be dangerous all season long.

Connetquot improves to 2-0 on the year, while Bay Shore falls to 0-2. The two teams will face off for the third and final game of their season opening series at Connetquot High School on Monday March 30.