As it does each April during the school break the Westhill baseball team made its way to Myrtle Beach, S.C., testing itself in a series of games against opponents from around the country.
The Warriors opened the Mingo Bay Tournament by facing South Western and, relying on the strong arm of Alex Godzak, won in a 3-0 shutout.
Godzaek went six innings and struck out 12, only allowing one hit before Kevin McAvoy struck out the side in the seventh. All the runs came in the fourth and fifth innings as McAvoy continued his early-season tear at the plate with three hits and two RBIs.
Though it proved closer in the second game against Lewisville (N.C.), Westhill still pulled out a 3-2 win by getting all of its offense late.
Down 1-0, the Warriors went in front when, in the bottom of the sixth, Nick Vitgaliano smacked a two-run home run. Lewisville pulled even in the top of the seventh, but Westhill’s David Graf reached base in the bottom of the seventh and scored the winning run on a passed ball.
Those late runs vindicated the work of four pitchers, including McAvoy, who worked the seventh and got credit for the win. J.C. Pena and Nathan Nigolian also saw mound stints.
Having only pitched in relief so far, McAvoy finally got his first start of the season Wednesday, against Penfield (Section V), and was superb in a 2-1 win over the Patriots.
Other than a third-inning run, McAvoy kept Penfield off the board, giving up just four hits and two walks while amassing 10 strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
Nathan Nigolian’s home run in the first inning put Westhill in front 1-0. After Penfield tied it in the third, the Warriors had to wait until the sixth to pull ahead for good, Graf racing home on Pena’s sacrifice fly. Nigolian and Graf both had three hits, with the rest of the team settling for three hits combined.
Back home, Bishop Ludden was idle until Thursday, then went to Chittenango and endured the wind and cold temperatures to bash the Bears 14-3.
The Gaelic Knights took the lead with a three-run third inning, then scored three more times in the fifth before using a seven-run sixth inning to break things open.
James Murray, who pitched five innings and earned the win, had three hits and three runs scored. Chris Davis also crossed the plate three times while doubling and earning a pair of RBIs. Ciro Frontale had three hits and drove in a team-best three runs as Ryan O’Kane, Aaron Maher, Mike DePalma and Jared Taylor joined Murray with one RBI apiece.
Solvay made it out to the field last Tuesday to face Little Falls, and put together a 4-1 victory over the Mounties.
Ronn Bidwell pitched 5 1/3 innings and got the win as he, combined with reliever John Savo, amassed 17 strikeouts against just four hits.
They also got early support as Solvay scored three runs in the top of the first inning off Nate Antonacci’s bases-clearing double and never trailed. Antonacci added another RBI double in the fifth as Jack DeGonzaque scored on both occasions.
Jordan-Elbridge did play within the OHSL Liberty division last Monday afternoon, unable to get on the board in a 7-0 defeat to Skaneateles.
Leland Holmes pitched most of the way, giving up single runs in the second, third and fourth innings before Skaneateles broke it open with four runs in the fifth.
All the Eagles could manage was four hits against Skaneateles pitcher Ryan Prochna, who amassed 14 strikeouts. Nick Berwind, Sean Cooper, Tom Albring and Pat Kelly earned those hits.
But the Eagles rebounded Thursday to beat Onondaga 4-3, ending a season-opening six-game skid in dramatic fashion.
J-E was tied, 1-1, and getting a great pitching performance from Matt Gasparek (six innings, 12 strikeouts and just two hits allowed) when in the top of the seventh the Tigers moved ahead with a pair of runs.
Yet the Eagles countered by getting three runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out the win. Brennen Barrigar had two hits and an RBI, with John Quinn scoring a pair of runs. Holmes and Liam Corfield got one RBI apiece.
