Grit brought out the bats in a total team victory in a game that was closely contested until Grit unloaded four runs in the fourth. Rocky Point 2018 RHP Anthony Denobrega came away with the win for Grit after throwing three solid innings of two-run ball. He struck out four and walked two allowing three hits, he left the game in the fourth with a, 7-2, lead after walking the first two batters of the inning.
SWR 2018 RHP Mark Franco replaced Denobrega and with the help of his defense escaped unharmed in the fourth. Franco also demonstrated quality pitching locating fastballs down. He did, however, run into some trouble in the sixth leaving with the bases loaded after allowing a run. The Grit right-hander found ways to get outs effectively through his two and a thirds innings of work.
“I just wanted to throw strikes and let the defense help me out there,” said Franco. “Just get ahead in counts and let the defense take over.”
Grit scored a run in the first off a fielder’s choice after loading the bases with one out. Storm came right back in the bottom half and jumped ahead to a, 2-1, lead. Their catcher, Seth Steinberg, would drive in the first of their runs on a seeing eye ground ball single that he took the other way.
Steinberg would finish his day 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBI. His RBI single in the sixth ultimately would be what would force Franco out of the game. SWR 2018 RHP Matt Moran would replace Franco and finish the game going one and two thirds innings allowing a hit and striking out one batter.
Grit would come right back and jump ahead, 3-2, on Smithtown after their 10-hitter Argenis Escarfullery, North Babylon 2018, cleared the bases with a two RBI single. He would finish 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run, as he was a part of Grit’s four-run fourth inning.
Another SWR class of ’18 player shined both defensively and at the plate for Grit, their catcher, Joseph Brown. He would finish 1-for-2 with a single, two walks and a run. The tall incoming senior commanded the field behind the plate blocking balls and demonstrating a plus arm.
“I want to work on hitting, driving balls into the gap,” Brown said. “Just keep progressing as a player, to keep working hard in the offseason to get ready for the school ball season.”
The extremely young SWR team will look to leaders like himself, Moran and Franco after graduating 16 seniors this past spring. Franco was originally the DH for Denobrega, but the starting pitcher would pinch hit for Franco in the seventh and drive in two insurance runs to extend their lead to, 9-4.
With this victory Grit improves to 6-1-1 on the season with 19 points keeping them in a tie for first place in the varsity gold division. They are set to pick up play Monday against the LI Gulls; first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The Storm is also scheduled to play on Monday at 6 p.m. and they will face LI Patriots Blue.