Bucks Rally in Fifth to Defeat Aviators 4-1 at Fiske Field

The Shelter Island Bucks used a four-run fifth inning to erase an early deficit and defeat the Westhampton Aviators, 4-1, on Sunday at Fiske Field.

After four scoreless innings dominated by pitching, Westhampton finally broke through in the top of the fifth. Nick Koch (Merrimack) lined a two-out RBI single, giving the Aviators a 1-0 advantage. The Bucks answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning.

Shelter Island loaded the bases before Cayden Van Dolah (Holy Cross) worked a bases-loaded walk, forcing home Tucker DeWolf (Wesleyan) to tie the game at 1-1. Moments later, Sam Bradford (UMass Dartmouth) delivered the game’s biggest hit, ripping a two-run single to put the Bucks in front 3-1. The rally continued when JD Stemhagen (Dickinson) reached on a Westhampton error, allowing Van Dolah to cross the plate with an unearned run for a 4-1 lead.

That proved to be all the offense Shelter Island needed behind another outstanding pitching performance from Dean Ennis (Utica).

Ennis tossed a complete-game four-hitter, allowing just one run while walking three over seven innings. Although he did not record a strikeout, the left-hander kept Westhampton off balance throughout the afternoon, inducing nine ground-ball outs and 12 fly-ball outs on just 91 pitches to earn his third victory of the season.

Gabriel Pena (American International) took the loss despite pitching well through the first four innings. He allowed four runs—three earned—on three hits over 4⅓ innings while striking out three and walking five.

Shelter Island managed just five hits but made the most of its opportunities. Bradford finished 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Sam Ametrano reached base twice via walks and continued to be a catalyst atop the lineup.