Shelter Island Bucks winning ways continue: On a roll, leading the league
The Shelter Island Bucks came away with a Hamptons Collegiate League game victory on Wednesday, July 10, at Fiske Field against the North Fork Ospreys by a score of 16-4.
After a doubleheader victory this past Sunday against the Westhampton Aviators, and Tuesday’s walk-off win against the Southampton Breakers, the Bucks continued to lead the HCBL with a record of 17-9. The team is hitting on all cylinders, sporting a seven-game winning streak.
On Wednesday, lefty pitcher Dimitri Skourides (Brandeis) pitched all five innings of the HCBL 10-run mercy rule victory. The Bucks faced North Fork’s right hander Devin Carros (South Carolina Sumter).
The game began with the Ospreys putting a runner on base, but the Bucks defense got three quick outs without a run scored. The Bucks offense then came out swinging, with a double, walk, and a base hit, which scored the first run by John Gannon (St. Lawrence). After a walk, two doubles, and three singles, the Bucks led 7-0 in the bottom of the first.
After no runs were scored by either team in the second inning, and the Ospreys were unable to score in the top of the third, Buck AJ Cook (Elms) continued Shelter Island’s offensive rally with a single. After this, the Bucks loaded the bases, and Buck John Gannon (St. Lawrence) crushed a ball deep over the left field fence for a grand slam.
North Fork decided on a pitching change, putting in Devin Carros (South Carolina Sumter). While Shelter Island put four more baserunners on, they were only able to score one more run. Shelter Island led 12-0 after three innings of play.
In the top of the fourth, North Fork put two runners on base after two well-placed balls down the left-field line. However, a strikeout, ground-out, and routine pop-out left the Ospreys still unable to score any runs.
Shelter Island started the bottom of the fourth with two runners on base, but North Fork turned a grounder from second base to first, for a double play. Even with two outs, Shelter Island continued to put runs on the scoreboard.
After four runs were scored, North Fork substituted Greg Friedman (Farmingdale) for outfielder Kai Aoki (Colby). With a routine pop-fly, the Ospreys secured the third out to get out of the fourth inning. The Bucks continued their lead, 16-0.
At the beginning of the fifth, with the Ospreys down 16 runs, a base hit from Osprey Anthony Equale (Washington), and a double from Joseph Dwyer (SUNY Oneonta), allowed Equale to score the first run of the day for North Fork.
The Ospreys followed this with another baserunner on first after an error by Shelter Island’s infield, and Osprey Nick Pratt (Maryland Baltimore) hit a home run over the left field fence to secure three more runs. But a ground out and a pop out ended the inning and gave a 16-4 mercy-rule victory to the Bucks.
After the game, Coach Vern Hasty noted that the win should be credited to the success of the offense. “They hit the heck out of the ball, up and down the lineup everyone was making consistent contact.”
The Bucks skipper was named one of the coaches in the HCBL All-Star game, to be played Saturday, July 13 at Mashashimuet Park in Sag Harbor. Coach Hasty will be in the dugout for the Team Red All-Stars, made up of players from the Bucks, Southampton Breakers and Westhampton Aviators, taking on the Team Blue All-Stars, selected from the North Fork Ospreys, Sag Harbor Whalers and South Shore Clippers.
The Bucks will be back at Fiske Field Sunday, July 14, at 2 o’clock to take on the Clippers.
