Shelter Island School baseball boys undefeated on the season
This time of year, after a long, cold winter and, more recently, weeks of endless rain, it’s those perfectly warm, sunny days that we savor on Shelter Island.
With the promise of spring finally arriving and baseball season in full swing, the Shelter Island School baseball team were eager for their first home game of the year. Wednesday, May 9, delivered just that: 70 degrees, clear skies, and a packed Fiske Field filled with players, fans, and families.
On the main diamond, the Islanders took the field with a perfect 5–0 record. Across the grass, Little Leaguers played in their own games; the bleachers were packed, and with the first home game in the books, it’s official — local baseball is back.
The Islanders hosted the Hampton Bays Baymen in a rare nine-inning doubleheader, making up for lost time with a lengthy afternoon of action. Just a day earlier, the two teams had squared off in Hampton Bays, and the home opener at Fiske Field capped a fast-paced stretch of three games in two days.
Leading off for Shelter Island was sophomore Henry Springer, the team’s starting left fielder. Springer smacked the first pitch of his at-bat for a lead off single. The Islanders followed with several base hits and plated 4 runs in the top of the first.
Starting on the mound was senior right-hander Harrison Weslek, who has seen a notable increase in velocity and command this season. Weslek cruised through the bottom of the first, retiring all three Baymen batters without allowing a ball in play.
In the bottom of the second, Shelter Island managed to put two runners on base, but a flyout followed by two strikeouts left them scoreless. Hampton Bays scored their first run in the top half, but Weslek limited the damage and shut their offense down after that.
The Islanders broke the game open in the third and fourth innings, piling on 13 more runs through aggressive base running and timely hitting. Hampton Bays failed to respond, held scoreless again in the middle innings. Shelter Island added 2 more runs in the fifth and sixth innings and entered the seventh with a comfortable lead.
Weslek was relieved in the seventh inning by freshman Ryan Sanwald, the team’s starting third baseman, who had thrown just under the pitch count limit the day before, keeping him eligible for the May 10 matchup. The Baymen capitalized on several walks, base hits, and infield errors, managing to put 10 runs on the board, narrowing the score to 28–11.
To close the game, the Islanders sent in center fielder Harry Clark, making his first pitching appearance of the season. Clark struck out one and induced three routine grounders in the top of the ninth, securing the team’s seventh straight win.
Following the game, the Reporter caught up with Head Coach Peter Miedema and Assistant Coach Mike Dunning to reflect on the team’s performance and the energy surrounding their long-awaited home debut. With the Islanders now 7–0 and heading into the final stretch of the season, both coaches praised their players’ focus and the strong community support.
“It felt like everyone was excited to get up to bat,” Miedema said. “We really put some good at-bats together — lots of solid hits. It started from the top. Henry Springer all day.”
The coaches commented on what it meant to finally play in front of a home crowd. “We kept saying, ‘It’s mid-May, and this was somehow our first home game.’ But we had a good time today. Even though our three-and-a-half-hour, nine-inning game was really long, it still felt worth it.”
Coach Dunning echoed the thought, describing the day as “beautiful baseball weather” with “a great community turnout.”
“I was really surprised when I looked into the stands and saw they were full,” he added. “Then I noticed there was standing room only, with people you don’t normally see at our baseball games. They came out to watch the guys play on a beautiful day.”
The Islanders are on a roll as they gear up to play the Southold/Greenport combined team. They’ll be on the road Monday, back at Fiske Field Wednesday at 4 p.m., and away again on Friday.
