South Side forgets slow start

After digging an 0-4 hole to start the Conference A-II baseball season, South Side’s finding ways to win the close ones and put itself in playoff contention with a pair of three-game sets remaining in the regular season.

The Cyclones have captured five of their last eight, including a crucial 5-4 walk-off victory over visiting Plainedge at Barasch Field on April 21. Junior Jimmy Barrett singled up the middle to score senior Harrison Kravis with the decisive run in the bottom of the seventh with one out.

“I told the guys it was a must-win game,” South Side coach Tom Smith said. “It was really important. Being 5-7 is a lot better than 4-8. Now we hold the playoff tiebreaker over Plainedge if we end up needing it. 

“With three games coming up against Division, the defending county champs who knocked us out of the playoffs last year, it’s nice to have some momentum going,” he added.

Senior Kyle Shutkind earned the win on the mound in relief of junior Kenny Hoefer, who had a solid outing. Hoefer yielded six hits, one walk and two earned runs while striking out eight in six innings of work. The run allowed by Shutkind was on an error.

“We’ve pitched extremely well,” Smith said. “We’ve lacked some offense at times and made some defensive mistakes that cost us.”

Senior Brendan Condon, who pitched lights-out for nearly five innings in the middle game of the series two days earlier but was on the short end of a 3-1 decision, went 2-for-3 and knocked in two runs in the finale. 

Condon scattered five hits in his outing against Plainedge and struck out three, but didn’t get enough run support and the Cyclones fell behind for good in the bottom of the fourth on winning pitcher Billy Wildeman’s three-run triple. Wildeman also allowed five hits and fanned seven. Condon didn’t allow a hit until there were two outs in the bottom of the fourth.

South Side had a walk-off win in the series opener at Barasch on April 18, courtesy of sophomore Patrick Leach. His double brought home senior Tony Izzo with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 triumph. Izzo drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a sacrifice bunt, setting the stage for Leach who earlier in the game tripled and scored on a Kravis single. Barrett went 3-for-4, and junior Aymar Carmichael picked up the victory on the hill in relief of senior TJ Avgerinos. The team’s No. 1 starter struck out eight and allowed four hits.

“It was a well-played game by both teams,” Smith said. “We had to take TJ out after five innings because of a high pitch count. Plainedge did a nice job extending their at-bats.”

Three-game sets against Division and Hewlett remain.

“We’re playing better baseball,” Smith said. “We have to play a mentally tough series against Division.”