Ciminiello’s Walk-Off Against NF Gives Southampton a Share of First Place
The Southampton Breakers rallied from an early three-run deficit and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning to defeat the Sag Harbor Whalers 6-5 on Saturday in a crucial Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League matchup.
The Whalers struck first in the top of the second inning. After Aaron Vetter (Palm Beach Atlantic) reached base on a leadoff single and advanced into scoring position on two wild pitches, Carter Dickinson (Castleton) lined an RBI single up the middle to put Sag Harbor ahead 1-0. Dominick Mancino (Keiser) followed with a two-run single to left field, scoring Dickinson and Milo Suarez (Dartmouth) and extending the Whalers’ advantage to 3-0.
Southampton began to chip away in the bottom of the second when Nick Slogik (Rowan College at Gloucester) scored on a throwing error, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
The Breakers added another run in the third inning. Chase Jones (West Chester) singled through the left side to drive in James Rice (Gardner-Webb), although Owen Beatrice (St. John’s) was thrown out at home attempting to score on the play, making the score 3-2. Southampton would tie the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth on a solo shot by Vic Patel (Wallace CC).
Sag Harbor regained the lead in the fifth. Aaron Bock (Johns Hopkins) came home on a balk to put the Whalers ahead 4-3, and later in the inning Matteo Cubello (St. Anselm) drew a bases-loaded walk to increase the lead to 5-3.
Once again, the Breakers responded. In the bottom of the fifth, Liam Daly (Holy Cross) lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Michael Caron (Assumption) and trimming the deficit to one run.
Southampton tied the game in the sixth inning when Beatrice delivered a sacrifice fly that scored Vic Patel. Although Rice was retired trying to advance on the play, the Breakers had once again erased the deficit, making it 5-5.
The decisive moment came in the seventh inning. Nick Slogik (Rowan College at Gloucester) reached base on a one-out walk and then advanced to third on a double bySean Sailer. Luke Ciminiello (Stony Brook) would have the winning hit for the Breakers when his single brought in Stogik to score the winning run.
Breakers starter Daniel McDonnell (Roger Williams) allowed three runs over four innings, Charles Stricker (West Chester) was dominant in relief. Stricker tossed 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing no hits while striking out four and walking three to earn his first victory of the season.
Sag Harbor starter Griffin Rampoldt worked 3.2 innings, allowing three runs while striking out three. Braeden Mott kept the Whalers in front through the middle innings, but Andrew Wayne (Assumption) was charged with the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the seventh.
The Whalers managed just six hits in the game, with Dickinson and Mancino accounting for three of the club’s five RBIs. Southampton’s offense was more balanced, collecting 10 hits.
With the victory, Southampton improved to 9-5 on the season and moved into a tie with the Westhampton Aviators for first place in the HCBL standings. Sag Harbor fell to 8-6, one game behind the co-leaders.