Shelter Island Bucks 2025 Opening Day at Fiske Field

Nothing else says summer like America’s favorite pastime, especially right here on Shelter Island. 

The Shelter Island Bucks, one of six franchises in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League (HCBL), have been a staple in the community since their introduction into the league. Despite the program’s challenges, such as the ongoing difficulty of housing players, the Bucks have found success in recent years, energized by the community’s support. The games at Fiske Field are always packed. Local businesses generously donate post-game meals and sponsor the team, and players thrive in the competition, returning to their respective colleges in the fall. Many HCBL alumni have even gone on to professional ball.

Coming off an impressive 2024 season, which saw them lead the league in overall wins before falling short in the championship series, the Bucks opened their 2025 campaign on the road June 13 against the North Fork Ospreys. They came out firing, with designated hitter John Gannon (St. Lawrence University) launching two home runs and tallying five RBIs in an 11–1 blowout.

The team’s home opener, which followed on Father’s Day, June 15, was against the Sag Harbor Whalers, with a significant crowd gathering at Fiske Field to support the Bucks. What started as a cold and windy morning quickly gave way to a crisp, 65-degree afternoon, a cool day to start the early summer season.

Hoot Sherman and Judy Sherman threw out the ceremonial first pitch in memory of their late brother and husband, Herb Sherman, a longtime Bucks supporter. The team also introduced Caleb Springer, a Shelter Island Little Leaguer, as this season’s official bat boy.

Taking the mound for the Bucks was right-hander Danny Onorato (Iona College), who delivered a strong early performance. In the top of the second, with runners on second and third, Onorato made a smart play, chasing down a runner caught between bases to prevent the first run of the game. The Bucks advanced in the bottom half of the second inning, getting a runner on, but Bucks shortstop Jack Vallario (Fordham U.) was thrown out at third trying to advance. A strikeout and ground out ended the frame.

Bucks center fielder Willie Landman (St. Lawrence U.) came up big in the top of the third. With two runners on, Landman tracked a deep fly ball and made a catch at the fence to end the inning and keep the game scoreless. The Bucks struck first in the bottom of the third. Left fielder Tobey Roberts (Emerson College) reached base after a misplayed grounder at third, then sprinted around to score on a close play at the plate, avoiding the tag. A close call at second was called an out to end the inning, with the Bucks leading 1–0.

Shelter Island tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded, Gannon grounded a ball to the right side, and a bobble by the first baseman allowed him to reach safely while a second run crossed the plate, giving the Bucks a 2–0 lead.

On defense, Vallario continued to shine. In the top of the fifth, he fielded a grounder and flipped it to second baseman Alex Barrist (Lafayette College), who turned the double play to end the inning.

After six innings of strong pitching, the Bucks turned to left-hander Brennan Shapiro (Babson College) out of the bullpen. He worked efficiently in the sixth, with solid support from right fielder Matt Holmes (Husson College), who quickly fielded a line drive to hold a runner at first. Barrist followed that up with a grounder to the shortstop, flipped to Barrist at second, turned to first, for another inning-ending double play. But in the top of the seventh, things fell apart.

The Bucks got an early out on a leaping catch by Barrist at second. With two outs and the bases loaded, the Whalers knocked a deep shot to center that landed just in front of the fence, scoring two and tying the game. A passed ball allowed another run to score from third, and a dropped fly in left field brought in two more. A misplayed ball at second allowed the batter to reach safely and the inning to continue. By the time the final out was recorded, the Whalers had scored six runs, seizing a 6–2 lead.

New regulations in the early season have teams playing just seven-inning games instead of nine. The Bucks were unable to answer back in the bottom of the seventh, and the game ended without further scoring.

Despite the loss, the Bucks’ new Head Coach Joe Colucci remained upbeat in his post-game remarks. In his first summer on the Island, Colucci emphasized his belief in the team’s potential. “It’s a great place to live for the summer. The guys play hard every day. They’ve got good attitudes and show up to work,” Coach Colucci said. “I think we’re one of the more talented teams in the league. When we put it together, we’re really tough to beat. Today, the bats stalled a little in the middle of the game, and we’ve got to do a better job of putting teams away when we have them on the ropes. But overall, this is a good group, and I think we’re going to have a great summer.”

The Bucks faced the Southampton Breakers on Monday, winning 4–0 and bouncing back to a 2–1 record. The action was slated to return home on Wednesday, June 18, at 5 p.m., to face the North Fork Ospreys.