By TONY BELLISSIMO
Mike Popkin's two-out, two-run triple capped a five-run sixth and made a winner out of senior pitcher Paul Vecchione, who improved to 5-0 on the mound. Joe DeMartini started the rally with a solo homer and John Kenny cracked a game-tying two-run double for the Spartans, who upped their conference record to 11-3.
"We're in playoff mode right now," Coach Walter Bachman said. "We've got a nice blend of seniors and younger guys. They've really come together and we've got a three-game lead with three to go."
Vecchione continued to impress this spring by scattering seven hits and two walks and striking out seven. "Paul didn't get much playing time last season but worked hard and gained confidence," Bachman said. "I don't know where we'd be without him and Dominick Martelli. They've stepped up in a big way. They're getting ahead of hitters and keeping them off-balance pretty well."
DeMartini, who is hitting .456, lit the spark with his home run. Richard DeRosa, who is hitting .462, homered earlier. "We fed off Joe's homer," Bachman said. "Sometimes all you need is one big hit to get everyone going."
Martelli, a freshman pressed into action last month due to injuries, went to 5-0 two days before Vecchione joined him. Martelli gave up just three hits and fanned four in North's 9-2 win over North Shore. Senior catcher Marc Dern, who is partly responsible for the fast progress of the staff, smacked a grand slam and Chris St. George knocked in a pair of runs.
"It was an interesting series," Bachman said. "Vecchione started the first game and we fell behind 6-0 so I took him out after 50 pitches to save him for Thursday. It worked out and we almost came back to win the first game."
Sophomore Anthony Graziano, the Spartans' No. 3 starter, kept North Shore in check long enough for the North bats to get going. It was 6-6 before the eventual winning run scored on a balk. "Anthony did a nice job," Bachman said. "He's been consistent all year."
The Spartans, who close the regular-season with a three-game set against Mineola, recently swept Roosevelt to take command of Conference VI. The Hofstra-bound Kenny, who leads the county with a batting average of .643, hit three home runs in the series.
