By:Tony Bellissimo
Though the Spartans dropped three of their last four Conference A-VI games, they carried a 9-5 record into this week-s three-game series against Seaford. One victory would be enough to make the playoffs a reality.
I think we got caught looking ahead a little bit, Coach Peter Mayo said, referring to a pair of losses to Mineola and one to Garden City. That can happen with a senior-laden team. The guys are eager and hungry to start the playoffs, but we have to get there first.
With Tauber on the mound, North can advance deep in the Class A tournament. He-s won six games and has an earned run average of 0.80. The All-County performer has struck out 60 batters in 39 innings, and in last week-s 8-4 win over Mineola he fanned 13 while scattering five hits. He-s also swinging a hot piece of lumber, hitting .417.
Jake-s been overpowering, Mayo said. He-s drastically improved from last year and he was 7-1 then. He-s not just throwing, he-s pitching.
Tauber and juniors Kyle Smith and Billy Gerbino comprise the Spartans- starting rotation. Most of the relief work has been handled by junior Nick Foriello and sophomore Paul Vecchione. Smith and Gerbino have picked up two wins apiece.
The staff is under the superior guidance of senior catcher Chris Schacca, a fifth-year varsity player and two-time All-County selection. Chris is hitting the cover off the ball and he handles the staff as well as anyone you could want, Mayo said.
Schacca leads the Spartans with four homers and 23 RBI and is hitting .428. He went deep twice in the Mineola series. Tauber and Schacca aren-t the only ones tormenting opposing pitchers. Sophomore designated hitter Mark Dern is hitting .500, sophomore leftfielder John Kenney is at .444, senior centerfielder Anthony Fiorgione is at .365, junior shortstop Ryan Mastrangelo is at .353 and sophomore second baseman Vinny Delmaestro is at .325. We-ve been hitting the gaps and coming up with a lot of doubles, triples and homers, Mayo said. We-ve got some sticks.
In sweeping Roosevelt and Manhasset, North produced 50 runs in the six games. Tauber (16), Smith (14) and Gerbino (13) combined for 43 strikeouts in the Roosevelt series, and Tauber tossed a two-hit shutout against Manhasset.
Seaford is 6-8 in the conference and would reach the playoffs by sweeping the Spartans. Both teams would be 9-8 in that case, but the Vikings will be hard-pressed to beat Tauber, as well as Smith and Gerbino.
I-m confident we can get to the playoffs, Mayo said. It would be big if we can win the conference and get double-elimination. Our goal was to win the conference. After that, we-re
