Rocks fall in L.I. title game

There are all kinds of ways to lose. There are routs, there are nail-biters, and then there are losses that feel like you’ve been punched in the stomach over and over. 

The East Rockaway Rocks experienced the latter in the Long Island Class C title game, which was also the Southeast Regional state semifinal, falling to Suffolk County champion Pierson-Bridgehampton, 1-0, on Monday at the Dowling College Sports Complex.

Pinch runner Jack Fitzpatrick sprinted home with the game’s only run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to end East Rockaway’s season. Junior Billy Humes had struck out Coleman Vila on a 2-2 curveball, but the ball bounced off the turf and went all the way to the backstop to give Pierson-Bridgehampton the win.

The game was billed as a pitchers’ duel between Humes and Vila, and the two southpaws gave the fans their money’s worth. Vila went the distance, scattering five singles while walking two and striking out six. He improved to 10-0 and registered his fourth shutout of the season.

Humes was just as dominant. He held Pierson-Bridgehampton, which improved to 21-3, hitless before yielding a single to open the bottom of the sixth inning. Humes allowed just two hits and struck out seven. 

“Billy was outstanding,” said East Rockaway coach Dan Vito. “He didn’t give them much, and when they did have opportunities, he shut them down. With a runner on third and no outs in the bottom of the seventh, he basically pitched out of it. Sometimes the bounces don’t go your way. That’s high school baseball.”

Humes had gotten some help to work out of a jam an inning earlier. With runners at the corners and one out, left fielder Cameron Ralph circled under a lazy fly ball and then gunned the ball to the plate. Forrest Loesch, who was attempting to score, ran well out of the base path to avoid the tag by catcher Ben Giliberti and was ruled out.

The Rocks had their share of opportunities to punch across a run, but each time they threatened, Vila came up with a big pitch to work out of trouble. 

East Rockaway finished with a record of 14-9, and four players picked up postseason honors. Junior David McClure earned All-County recognition, senior Sean Bohan and Humes were named All-Conference, and Ralph was an All-League pick.

In addition to Bohan, Vinny Celeste, Tom Dolan, Mark Hernandez, Joey and Michael Lores, Danny McClure, John Neckles and Anthony Tesoriero were also playing their last game at East Rockaway.

Vito said he would miss this year’s seniors. “I told them that I loved them and how proud I was of this team,” he said. “Even in defeat, they carried themselves very well. I would have liked to have seen them get to play another day, but the ball just didn’t bounce the right way for us today.”