Tough start for East Rockaway

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Like the spring, the East Rockaway baseball team has had a difficult time getting started in 2015. With last Friday’s 11-2 loss to two-time defending county champion Wheatley, the Rocks fell to 1-4 on the season. The game was the Conference BC opener for both teams.

Senior Mike Carney pitched a complete game and struck out eight to lead the Wildcats. Matt Hogg went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI, and junior Evan Mattioli went 3-for-3 in a game played at Bethpage Ballpark, the home of the Long Island Ducks of the Independent Atlantic League.

The game marked the second straight season that East Rockaway played a regular season game on a minor league diamond. In 2014, the Rocks played at Coney Island’s MCU Park, the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Despite the loss, East Rockaway coach James Hickey and his team enjoyed the opportunity to take the field that is usually occupied by professional ballplayers. “It’s always a great experience when you get to play in that type of atmosphere,” Hickey said. “The kids had a great time. Wheatley is a tough team. They graduated a bunch of players, but they still have a great rotation. The guys who stepped in for those who they lost are strong players.”

The season began with consecutive losses to Lynbrook, South Side, and Valley Stream Central. In the 4-2 loss to South Side, the Rocks scored a pair of runs off Andrew Misiaszek. They’re the only runs allowed by Misiaszek in his three starts.

East Rockaway got into the win column with an 11-9 home victory over Malverne. Junior Ryan Kelly’s two-out, three-RBI single capped off a seven-run sixth inning. Kelly also got the win, yielding just a pair of earned runs over five innings. Senior Ray Cerasoli knocked in a pair of runs earlier in the inning.

Things got dicey in the top of the seventh inning, but junior Mike DelGais induced a game-ending ground ball to Kelly at shortstop. Kelly fired across the diamond to Sammy Dey to close things out.

Through the first five games, Kelly leads the Rocks in both RBI and runs scored. He has a batting average of .357, and an on-base percentage of .500. Robinson Rivas is off to a good start. The junior third baseman is hitting .500 with a .571 on-base percentage.

Senior leadoff hitter Chris Amabile has done a good job of reaching base. Amabile has a .412 on-base percentage, and is a threat to run when he gets aboard.

Hickey believes the Rocks can get things turned around, but knows conference play will be difficult. “It’s really been one inning each game that has hurt us,” Hickey said. “We need to focus on throwing more strikes and cutting down on the walks. The walks have been coming back to haunt us. The league schedule is going to be real tough, but I think we can be competitive.”

East Rockaway will host Malverne on April 21 at 4:30 p.m.