Cardinal Spellman’s first-round victory against Regis was met with amazement by many around the CHSAA, but it was nothing compared to Saturday’s shocking upset of defending Class AA intersectional champion St. Joseph by the Sea in Huguenot.
The Pilots year-long search for respect ended with the 4-2 win in the second round qualifying game for the ‘AA’ championship tournament.
“Today was a really nice win, a great game,” Spellman coach Lou Brescia said. “They were the city champs, a class organization, a good team. For us, this really helps the program. It puts us over the top.”
Spellman (9-11), the No. 17 seed, dug out of an early 2-0 hole to score four unanswered runs. It was something Brescia said wouldn’t have happened in recent years.
“Before, that’s it, the game was over,” Brescia said. “But I’ve got to give all the credit to my seniors. They’re leading.”
That includes underrated catcher Besnik Rukova. On Thursday against Regis, he came through defensively with a pair of huge throws for double plays. Against No. 9 St. Joseph by the Sea (10-6), Rukova came through at the plate with a two-out triple to drive in two runs in the top of the seventh.
The Vikings jumped in front in the first on a Vin Garcia RBI-double and a run-scoring single by Anthony Battaglia, but junior right-hander Chris Sholkoff shut down Sea’s anemic offense from there in the complete-game victory, the biggest in years at Cardinal Spellman.
The Pilots, which tied the game in the third on a pair of infield singles and a throwing error, advance to the best-of-three third round qualifying series against No. 5 Archbishop Molloy beginning Sunday at Stanner Field. Spellman is a distinct underdog, but that’s nothing new.
“I knew things were going to turn, I just didn’t know it was going to turn for us this year,” Brescia said. “Still, I’d rather be under the radar.”
Iona Prep 2, All Hallows 1: Cristian Fiorito belted a solo home run in the third inning and in the fifth, Vinny DeMaria scored on a wild pitch to lead Iona Prep (15-5) over All Hallows (13-7) in a seeding round game Saturday afternoon in New Rochelle. Iona earns the No. 3 seed for the upcoming Class AA championship tournament, while All Hallows is the No. 4 seed.
St. John’s Prep 8, Rice 3: Joe McDonald went the distance, allowing one earned run on three hits, striking out 10, including five of the last six batters he faced, to help lead second-seeded St. John’s Prep (10-2) in the Class B playoffs Saturday at Salesian HS. Paul Perez worked out a bases loaded walk in a 13-pitch at-bat to spark a seven-run fifth inning as the Red Storm rallied from an early 2-0 deficit. St. John’s Prep takes on top-seeded Monsignor Scanlan Sunday in New Rochelle. No. 3 Rice (8-6) meets No. 5 Sacred Heart in an elimination game.