Bonac’s Baseball Team Almost Pulls It Off

    Though it was faced with the daunting task of winning out in order to make the playoffs following a 6-0 loss to Bayport-Blue Point on April 30, the East Hampton High School baseball team gave it its best shot, winning game two of the three-game series with the league leaders before yielding grudgingly, 13-11, in the finale.

    Will Collins, who assists Ed Bahns in coaching the Bonackers, said the second game was played Friday at the Baseball Heaven facility given the fact that the fields at both schools were, because of the rain, unplayable.

    Michael Abreu pitched for East Hampton, and, after giving up a run in the first inning, settled down, shutting out the Phantoms the rest of the way. He allowed only four hits, walked three, and struck out two.

    East Hampton’s runs came in the second and third. A.J. Bennett, the first baseman, led off the second with a base hit. Cameron Yusko was walked, and Abreu moved the runners up to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Brendan Hughes then grounded out second-to-first, scoring Bennett, and Andrew Rodriguez struck out to end the inning.

    Jimmy McMullan, the designated hitter, led off East Hampton’s third with a single. Deilyn Guzman, the shortstop, forced McMullan at second. With Brandon Brophy, a left-hander, up, Guzman stole second, and moved to third when Brophy grounded out second-to-first. Ryan Joudeh, the catcher, then hit a ball that bounced in front of the plate and rolled down the third-base line, remaining in fair territory as Bayport players looked on and as Guzman crossed the plate.

    “Saturday’s game [played here] is still tough to talk about,” Collins said. “The umpires’ calls were questioned by the coaches of both teams. All I can say is that we overcame 8-1 and 10-4 deficits, and, trailing 13-7, rallied for four runs in our last at-bat, falling just short. . . . It was really heartbreaking for these kids, almost all of whom are seniors. I struggled to find the words in the dugout after the game. Deilyn pitched for us that day and took the loss.”

    Abreu came back after a short rest to start for East Hampton at Elwood-John Glenn Monday and went all the way again on the way to a 12-4 win.

    “Coach Bahns and I asked him how he was feeling on the bus ride there,” said Collins, “and he gave us a thumbs-up. He struck out six in the seven innings he pitched that day, walked six, and gave up nine hits. Three of the runs he gave up were earned. In addition, he went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in four of our runs. I can’t say enough about this kid. He’s been an absolute blast to have around. We’ve really enjoyed coaching him, and we’ll miss his enthusiasm and toughness.”

    Collins added that Hughes, who played third base Monday in place of the injured Cameron Yusko, “also had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4, with two r.b.i.s.”

    Glenn is to play game two of the series here today at 4:30 p.m. East Hampton is to finish the season at Glenn tomorrow.