Shelter Island Bucks beat Riverhead Tomcats at Fiske Field

The Shelter Island Bucks picked up right where they left off in winning fashion, taming the Riverhead Tomcats 3-1 Saturday at Fiske Field in a Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League contest.

After taking their home opener on Friday, the Bucks put together another team effort, with multiple players stepping up.

But their first road game of the season against the Westhampton Aviators on Sunday was also the site of their first loss, falling by a score of 14-1

Against the Tomcats Saturday all cylinders were clicking. Most notably, pitchers Joey Kasper (Iona) and Max Brulport (Stonehill) led their team with impressive work on the mound. Kasper found his hot hand in the 2nd inning and didn’t allow a hit until the 6th.

Strikeout after strikeout kept the pressure on the Tomcats. After the game, Kasper talked about some of the adjustments he made when his curveball wasn’t working. “I had to establish my fastball, working on the outer half,” he said. “My slider was effective. It was mainly about mixing things up.”

Head Coach Vern Hasty agreed that Kasper’s “fastball and changeup did some damage.” He added that Brulport “gained some confidence after yesterday and provided some solid pitching.”

But Tomcats pitchers were matching the Bucks hurlers. After 7 innings, the score was 1-1. Neither team had made a momentum shift, until first baseman Blake Salamon (Northwood) stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 7th. A devastating home run set the tone for the rest of the game as the Bucks took the lead and never gave it up.

The game closed with clutch pitching from Brulport, a fitting way to end the day.

Today, Monday, June 13, the Bucks are back at Fiske Field to take on the Souhamnpton Breakers at 5 p.m.

The Bucks still need housing to keep the season going. If you can host one or more players, get in touch with David Austin at [email protected], or call 415-613-1991; General Manager Brian Cass at [email protected], or call 631-445-0084; or Frank Vecchio at [email protected], or call 516-317-8687.