Clarke adds to conference title streak

It’s been another banner season for Clarke’s baseball program.

With their 38th all-time conference championship in tow, the Rams entered this week’s Nassau Class A playoffs as the No. 4 seed and with county title aspirations after reaching the finals last spring.

The race for the Conference A4 crown came down to the finale and Clarke outlasted Wantagh, 12-6, May 10 after tying the series opener and dropping the middle game. Senior catcher JJ Palumbo returned to action following a brief absence and went 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the way as the Rams secured their seventh straight conference title and 24th in the past 27 seasons.

Junior Jared Sarrantonio earned the win in relief with three strong innings. Senior southpaw Matt Cardozo, who recently returned from injury, got the save.

“We jumped on them early and built a nice lead,” coach Tom Abruscato said after Clarke concluded the conference slate with a 14-2-2 mark. “Our kids have battled all year,” he added. “We really haven’t been healthy, but now we finally are heading into the playoffs so we’re hoping to make another run.”

The Rams have reached the county finals 11 of the past 22 years and are 1-2 in their past three appearances with a title in 2019. Only Division, defending county and Long Island champion Calhoun and 2021 county champion South Side are seeded ahead of Clarke in the 16-team, double-elimination playoff tournament.

“We’re in a difficult mini bracket with Plainedge, Mepham and Carey,” Abruscato said.

The opening game of the Wantagh series ended in a 5-5 deadlock after darkness prevailed following nine innings. Tim Hennig hit a grand slam for the Warriors, who got 13 strikeouts from Jake Tate but the Rams kept plugging away.

Junior Giancarlo Rengifo (.382 batting average) tied the game at 5 with a two-out hit in the seventh inning. Senior George Neofitidis struck out 10 batters and allowed two hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Junior Nick Berasti and senior Zaim Deljanin have led a deep pitching staff as the No. 1 and 2, respectively. Berasti (4-1 on the mound with a .340 average) features a fastball in the mid-80s, a knuckle-curve and changeup. “He’s shown flashes of greatness,” Abruscato said. Deljanin (5-1) has been consistent all season, the coach noted, and also makes life miserable for his counterparts with a .448 average, three homers and 23 RBIs.

Neofitidis, Sarrantonio, Cardozo, freshman James Beckworth and senior Josh Deluccia comprise the rest of the staff. “We have so many quality arms,” Abruscato said. “We can go with quick hooks in the playoffs if we need to.”

Berasti (shortstop), Deljanin (second base) and Beckworth lead the infield defense up the middle, while senior Tom Roche (.357 average) and junior Liam Fonal (center) control the outfield.

The Rams won their first nine conference games, sweeping Lynbrook, North Shore and Plainedge out of the gate. After going 1-1-1 against Island Trees, an exciting series with Mineola saw Clarke sweep the Mustangs but only by a run differential of plus-5.