Baseball boys fight off weather for a winning season
Spencer Gibbs dances away from an inside pitch against Sag Harbor Friday, May 1.
The Shelter Island boys’ JV baseball team had a double header scheduled against Greenport for Saturday April 26, but due to rainy weather the games were rescheduled for three days later.
It was pick your poison when it came to the weather, since the twin bill was played in Greenport with the wind blowing a steady 20 mph out of the east and the temperature barely above 50 degrees. It was so cold and windy it would have been a bad day for a football game.
The Island boys split with the Porters. In the first game there was no score through five innings before the Blue and Gray broke the ice. Trying to keep their hands warm to hit the ball was a challenge, but in the 6th inning Shelter Island generated a run and that was all they needed, with 5-0 as the final score. The second game only lasted five innings before being called due to darkness with the Island boys losing a tough pitching duel 1-0 for their first loss of the season.
On Friday, May 2, Sag Harbor was back at Fiske Field after their last appearance ended in a 15-15 tie. The weather this day was sunny and warm, a welcome change for the fans after freezing in Greenport. The Pierson Whalers were fired up to get even after the Island came back in the last game in the last inning to knot the score.
The game started with Shelter Island pitcher Matt BeltCappellino being lights out, recording three strikeouts. But in the 3rd the Whalers put together a big inning, plating 5 runs to make the score 5-0, and never gave up the lead.
In the bottom of the 3rd the Island did get on the board with a an RBI sacrifice fly from Spencer Gibbs. The Blue and Gray was down 9-1 until the bottom of the final inning when they rallied. Peter Kropf walked and was on third base after two passed balls. Johnny Sturges walked, but was thrown out at second on a great throw and tag by the catcher and shortstop. Later in the inning Gibbs hit a sacrifice fly for the first run of the inning. The game ended with the score 9-4.
This was only the team’s second loss of the season, bringing the season’s record to 7-2-1.
The last home game will be Thursday, May 8, at 4:30 at Fiske Field and the last game of the season will be on Friday, May 9 at the Ross School.
