The junior-rich Rye Neck baseball team is off to a 4-1 start, but has yet to play a league game and will be tested when they do.
By Melanie Cane
The junior-rich Rye Neck baseball team is off to a 4-1 start, but has yet to play a league game and will be tested when they do.
In the season opener against Croton, Ryan Aquino pitched a two-hitter with nine strikeouts and one earned run. On Tuesday, Aquino, in his second outing of the season, pitched a two-hitter with no walks and six strikeouts, leading his team to a 6-2 win over Westlake.
Westlake’s two runs, both of which were unearned, came in the top of the sixth. On the heels of a beautifully executed double play from Matt Garcia to Chris Pennell to Matt Franks, and with a 4-0 lead, Rye Neck’s fielders suffered a temporary lapse, dropping an easy fly ball and then over-throwing to first base twice. Aquino was not rattled by the fielding lapses, saying, “I know they have my back.” And until those serial blips, they did. As did the Rye Neck batters.
The Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the first, two in the second, one in the third, and two in the sixth. Garcia had two RBIs and Chris Cascione went two for two and had one RBI. Junior Captain Thomas Pipolo had a big RBI double in the sixth and later scored. Pennell went two for three and had an RBI, and Thomas Spinelli went two for three with one RBI.
Coach Tyler Slater said the team has played very well, and feels they have the potential and the opportunity to go far in their league (Class B Conference III). The Panthers have ten returning players, five of whom have been playing varsity since they were freshman and a very consistent pitching rotation.
They begin league play against Alexander Hamilton the last week of April.
