Owls fall in quarterfinals

For a full week Lynbrook, the No. 13-seed in the Nassau Class A baseball playoffs, lived on the brink of elimination. And though their season eventually ended with a 7-6 loss to Island Trees in the quarterfinal round, the Owls did not go quietly. 

“It was a nice ride,” coach Al Marrazzo said after the Owls were eliminated, but not before they won three games in the postseason. “No one expected it, except for us.”

Beginning with their first-round extra-inning win over North Shore May 14, the Owls’ hopes hung in the balance with every pitch, every swing of the bat and every high drive into the outfield. Time and again they were able to make the play they needed to extend their season. Against North Shore Will Norris and Alex Weingarten kept hanging zeroes on the scoreboard until Andrew Marks’ RBI single in the top of the ninth sent the Owls to the second round, where they faced No. 5 Glen Cove. Two days later Marks had an even bigger game, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homerun and three runs scored as the Owls hung on for a 9-7 win. Dan Grossi, usually a first baseman, started and won that game for Lynbrook because Marrazzo said, “It’s all hands on deck.”

The victory over Glen Cove moved the Owls into the best-of-three quarterfinals against No. 3 Island Trees, where they lost the opening game, 2-1, May 19. Weingarten pitched his heart out, but for the first time in the playoffs the Owls did not get the big hit. The decisive run scored on a balk, and again the Owls were one loss away from elimination.

In the thrilling second game of the series, Norris held Island Trees scoreless on four hits over eight innings, until Mike Milillo hit a walkoff single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to score Anthony Mackie in a 3-2 victory. Then the Owls, powered by a Vin Sharkey homer, took a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning of the third and final game, only to have luck go against them this time. A late Island Trees rally sent them to the semifinals for the fifth straight year and ended the Owls hopes.

Despite his disappointment, Marrazzo was proud of his team. “It was a phenomenal series. The kids did everything we asked. It was the most fun coaching that I think I’ve had.”

The wild playoff ride and the difficult defeat will serve as “teachable moments,” Marrazzo said. Of next year’s team, which will include All-Conference selections Weingarten and Brian Bilello, Marazzo said, “They’ll be better for this.”