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WPCNR PRESS BOX. Special to WPCNR from a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. April 17, 2005: It was a pleasant sunny afternoon in
But there was nothing little about this game. The fans were lively and the crowd was large. Leadoff batter Chris Mentrasti singled to center, stole second and moved to third on a ground out. But Riss came up with a big strike out and a popup to retire the next two batters without giving up a run. Massaroni promptly fanned the first two
Riss breezed through the top of the third, but the bottom of the third was looking like déjà vu all over again. A leadoff double, this time by Morello started things off for
The top of the fourth began with a bunt base hit by Michael DeRentiis. But a grounder to short, a pick-off at first base and another grounder to short quickly ended the inning.
Riss came out to pitch the top of the fifth, and although he thought the strike zone was very small this game, he had been his usual self, living on the corners and not giving up a walk. After striking out the first batter on four pitches, Riss finally gave up a walk to the next batter. Then Triolo came up and took a called strike and fouled off a pitch. He was down no balls and two strikes. But he battled back, fouling off 5 pitches in a very good at bat, and eventually he earned a walk. With two runners on and one out, the number nine hitter in the order, Brian Pisano, came up. He connected with a fast ball right off the outside corner of the plate and drove the ball deep to right, that right field Matt Taft had a beat on as he ran full stride toward right center where it looked like he was about to make a running backhand catch. But as Taft made a great athletic move to get to the ball, he also met the outfield fence. At full speed he flipped head over heals over the fence and landed hard on the ground on the other side of the fence without the ball. Stepinac had just closed the gap to 4 – 3. Riss went to a full count on the next batter and walked him. Coach Galligani then brought in Matt Zettl to relieve, as the crowd gave Riss a strong ovation for a fine pitching performance. A caught stealing and a strike out promptly ended the top half of the inning.
In the bottom half of the fifth, White Plains was able to chase Massaroni. A walk, and infield single, another walk and single, began the damage. Then junior Keith Lazere, who was just inducted into the National Honors Society this week (
Stepinac fought back for a run in the sixth, but did not want to die easily in the seventh and final inning. Two walks and a single brought the tying run to the plate. A sacrifice fly then made it 8 – 5. Then DeRentiis smacked a single to drive in two more runs. He advanced to second on a wild pitch. He was the potential tying run. After an intentional walk to set up a force, Zettl walked the next batter. With the bases loaded and one out, another single put Stepinac in the lead 9- 8.
Stepinac brought in senior Bobby Russo to close the game. He induced a ground out to shortstop. Then lefty hitting Mike Bevis lifted a high twisting fly to left field with so much spin that it kept spinning away from the fielder until it landed for a double. Zettl worked a walk, and then Lazere hit a frozen rope to left that only allowed the runners to advance one base. Russo struck out the next batter so that it was now bases loaded, two out, and captain Gary Morello at the plate. Two quick strikes put Morello in the hole, but he laid off the next four pitches to earn a walk and an RBI. With the game tied, Coach Galligani called out that he wanted Joe Danyo to hit. Danyo had been sitting all day, but promptly drilled a grounder up the middle. The Stepinac second baseman made a diving stop and a quick flip to second base, only to find the speedy Morello already standing on the bag. Danyo had just driven in the winning run and was mobbed by his teammates.




