Tottenville’s Johnathan Dilluvio delivers a pitch in the win. (William Thomas)
The Tottenville players mobbed Mike Milazzo near second base. It’s only April and the Pirates had won just a pool play baseball game in the Monroe Tournament, yet it felt like so much more.
“We had the lead,” said Milazzo, who hit the game-winning two-run single. “It was a tough-fought game. They came back. We were quiet, but then we all got up. And it was just great. A great feeling.”
It was a victory all about toughness for Tottenville. The Pirates, which won 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh Saturday at DeWitt Clinton in The Bronx, are going through a tough tim.
Winners of the last 27 PSAL Staten Island division titles, they were hit with a loss via forfeit this week for reportedly using a player not on their official roster against Port Richmond on March 30. Sources said Tottenville could be hit with two more forfeits as well.
Department of Education spokesperson Marge Feinberg did not immediately respond to a request by The Post for a statement due to the holiday. Tottenville coach Tom Tierney declined to comment directly on the situation. He did tell his players after the game Saturday that he was proud how they were able to come back in the face of adversity.
“We just said we’re gonna play baseball and that’s what we do,” Tierney told reporters after the game. “I’m proud of the way we battled back. It showed some heart.”
Tottenville led 3-0 on the back of a fine outing by ace Michael Sullivan, but Manhattan Center got three runs off him in the sixth to draw even. The Rams went ahead, 5-3, in the top of the seventh on a two-run single by Jerry Liang.
In the bottom of the inning, though, the Pirates got back-to-back walks from Frank Sanacore and Stephen Notaro against reliever Luis Vargas. After an Anthony Capo strikeout, FDU-bound John Giakas legged out an infield hit and Milazzo followed with a hard-hit two-run single up the middle. Sanacore had stolen third, which allowed Carmelo Catapano, running for Giakas, to advance to second on a wild pitch.
“We’ve had our backs against the wall a couple times and all the times we’ve come back,” Milazzo said. “We’ve got resilience.”
Tottenville, which beat Salesian later Saturday in pool play to start 2-0 in pool play, is one of the city’s premier programs. The Pirates went to the PSAL Class A city championship game last year, where they fell to George Washington. Above all, they have owned Staten Island, one of the best baseball boroughs. With three potential losses, Tottenville is in danger of that 27-year streak being snapped.
“There’s a lot of baseball to be played,” Tierney said. “There’s 18 league games. We have to play. The bottom line is you can get knocked off at any time. You gotta play baseball. I think everything will take care of itself.”
Milazzo, for one, isn’t worried.
“Not at all,” he said. “We’re still thinking 28. … We just have to go out there and play our game and then no one can beat us.”