HIGH SCHOOLS / BASEBALL PREVIEW: [SUFFOLK Edition]

REPORTED BY GREGG SARRA. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 03 Apr 1999

LEAGUE I Favorite – Smithtown (13-11), coach Al Chandler, 20th year. Top Contenders – Sachem (12-10), Brentwood (11-10). Key Players – Longwood Sr. SS Scott Kittilsen, Sr. C Mike Herbst; Brentwood Sr. C Pete Kruger; Sachem Sr. 1B Joe Lizza, Sr. P Scott Geschke; Smithtown Sr. C Chris Ciminiello, Sr. P Kevin Kulick, Jr. P Chris Garrick; Floyd Sr. P Jim Erwin, Sr. DH John Russo. Key Series – Smithtown vs. Sachem (May 17, 18, 20).

Longwood Wins by Forfeit. Host Longwood was awarded a League I win after Floyd coach Kevin O’Connell was ejected two batters after disputing a forceout at second base in the top of the third inning. Because O’Connell has no assistant coach, the team was forced to forfeit. O’Connell said he plans to appeal the decision to Section XI, Suffolk County’s athletic association. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 07 Apr 1999: 

Floyd 11, Longwood 6: Derek Brown had two hits and three RBI as Floyd scored 11 runs in the bottom of the fifth. Chris Hall went 3-for-3 and Jim Erwin struck out seven in six innings. WP – Erwin. LP – Kirchner. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 09 Apr 1999

Longwood Over Floyd. Mike Pellicci went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and made the defensive play of the game in Longwood‘s 5-4 League I win over Floyd. Pellicci, a centerfielder, threw out a runner at the plate to preserve a 4-4 tie in the top of the sixth inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Jesse Quinn singled in Mike Peabody. April 10

Longwood 5, Smithtown 1: Mike Herbst went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored for Longwood (3-2). Smithtown is 4-1. WP – Kirchner. LP -Kulick Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 14 Apr 1999:

Batterymates Lead Smithtown: [SUFFOLK Edition]

Jim Baumbach. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 16 Apr 1999:

Hank Fichtner could have easily buckled under the pressure of pitching in what Smithtown baseball coach Larry Gallagher called “the most important game of the season thus far.”

Aftering splitting the first two games of a three-game set with defending Class A state champion Longwood, Gallagher decided to give the start to someone who hadn’t won a game on the varsity level. Someone who boasts a 5-10, 125-pound frame and an innocent-looking face full of freckles.

Fichtner is anything but intimidating. But that’s before you see him pitch.

The Smithtown junior used a mix of fastballs, cut fastballs and curveballs to pace the Bulls to a 2-1 win in a League I game yesterday. Fichtner allowed three hits – none after the third inning – and struck out eight for the complete-game win.

“I felt great all day,” said Fichtner, who turned 17 on April 6. “I knew we were going to win. I had no doubt.”

Fichtner has his batterymate, junior Chris Ciminiello, to thank for the run support. Ciminiello, who finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, drove in the go-ahead run with a single to centerfield in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Longwood second baseman Jesse Quinn knocked down Pete Ciofrone’s hard-hit ground ball but couldn’t make a play at first. After James Morgan flew out, Ciofrone stole second and reached third after Tim Lynaugh walked. Next up was Ciminiello for Smithtown (6-1, 5-1), who brought Ciofrone home.

“It’s funny because when I came to school in the afternoon, I heard he sprained his {left} ankle in gym class,” Gallagher said. “But when I saw him, he told me flat out, `Coach, I’m playing today.’ “

Ciminiello had tied the score at 1 in the bottom of the fourth inning when he hit a home run to leftfield on 3-and-2 pitch. Mike Herbst led off the second inning with a home run for Longwood (3-3, 3-3).

Overshadowed by the performances ofFichtner and Ciminiello was Longwood pitcher Jason Otto’s outing. Otto pitched six innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits, which is remarkable considering what he has gone through during the past year.

Otto suffered a compound fracture in his right shin during a car accident in Centereach in January, 1998. Because of the severity of his injury, Otto was forced to miss the rest of the school year, which was supposed to be his final semester of high school. Instead, Otto returned to Longwood for his second senior year, and was allowed by Section XI’s eligibility committee to play baseball, athletic director Don Webster said.

“I threw harder against Floyd,” Otto said, “but I’m encouraged.”

Said Longwood coach John Davide Jr.: “Jason’s a gamer, a real competitor. He backs down to nobody.”

Longwood 6, Ward Melville 5: Jesse Quinn led off the sixth with a double and scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error for Longwood (4-3). Ward Melville is 2-5. WP – Kittilsen. LP – Fore. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 20 Apr 1999

Longwood 9, Ward Melville 4: Trailing 4-3 going into the seventh, Longwood scored six runs, including a two-run single by Vinny Samuels. Mike Herbst and Phil Picciano hit back-to-back homers in the third inning to tie the score at 3 for Longwood (5-3). Ward Melville is 2-6. WP – Kirchner. LP – N/A. HR – Herbst, Picciano (L). Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 22 Apr 1999: 

Longwood 5, Ward Melville 3: Jesse Quinn went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Mike Herbst went 2-for-2 with two runs scored for Longwood (6-3). WM is 2-7. WP – Otto. LP – Schaal. HR – Clemens (WM). Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 23 Apr 1999:

LEAGUE I: Tom Bosch scored the winning run on a single by Alez Otero in the bottom of the seventh for Patchogue-Medford (5-2) in its 4-3 win over Longwood(6-4). Mike Cirigliano scored on a squeeze bunt by Ray Goyco earlier in the inning to tie it at 3. Donny Smith pitched a complete game and struck out 11 to earn the win. Scott Kittleson took the loss. April 27

Longwood 11, Patchogue-Medford 3: Jason Otto scattered seven hits over six innings with five strikeouts and one walk, and Jesse Quinn went 3-for-3 with three RBI for Longwood (8-4). PM is 5-4. WP – Otto. LP – April 30

Longwood 10, Sachem 1: Scott Kittilsen pitched a three-hitter and had eight strikeouts to lift Longwood (9-4). Kittilsen also scored three runs. Mike Herbst went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBI. Sachem is 3-7. WP – Kittilsen. LP – Emde. HR – Herbst (L). Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 04 May 1999:

Sachem 5, Longwood 1: Gene Moscatelli allowed six hits, struck out three and gave up an unearned run with two out in the seventh for Sachem (4-7). Longwood is 9-5. WP – Moscatelli. LP – Kirchner. May 5

Sachem 9, Longwood 5: Danny Kelly (2-for-4, five RBI) hit a three-run homer in the sixth that tied the score at 4 for Sachem (5-7). Sachem took a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh when two runs scored on a misplayed ground ball. Longwood is 9-6. WP – Geschke. LP – Otto. HR – Pellicci (L), Kelly (S). Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 07 May 1999

Longwood 9, Brentwood 3: Scott Kittilsen pitched six innings and allowed five hits with nine strikeouts and no walks, and went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored for Longwood (10-6). Brentwood is 6-7. WP – Kittilsen. LP – Smith. HR – Kruger (B). Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 11 May 1999:

Longwood 13, Brentwood 12. Mike Pellicci went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI for Longwood (11-6). Brentwood is 6-8. WP – Joines. LP – Smith. HR – Picciano (L). Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 12 May 1999:

Longwood 2, Bayport-Blue Point 0. Scott Kittilsen pitched a three-hitter with three strikeouts in the Lindenhurst Tournament. Longwood plays Lindenhurst in the final today. WP – Kittilsen. LP – Gardner. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 19 May 1999: 

LINDENHURST ELITE SPORTS TOURNAMENT

Final: Lindenhurst 9, Longwood 3: Tom Urraro hit a three-run double in the third, and Lou DePaolo (3-for-3, two RBI) pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run and six hits in a 73-pitch performance for Lindenhurst. WP – DePaolo. LP – Otto.

Consolation: Amityville 6, Bayport-Blue Point 4: WP – Rolon. LP -Wallace. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 21 May 1999: 

CLASS A TOURNAMENT – First Round

Connetquot 12, Longwood 3: B.J. LaMura struck out eight and allowed two hits and one run over five innings for the win. He also went 4-for-5 with a solo home run and two RBI. Dominick Ambrosini went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, a two-run homer and four RBI for ninth-seeded Connetquot (15-7). No. 8 Longwood is 14-8. WP – LaMura. LP – Otto. HR – Ambrosini (C) 2, LaMura (C), Bosser (C), Carbonaro (C), Herbst (L), Quinn (L). Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 27 May 1999: