DeBrocky’s 9 K’s Lead Mahopac over John Jay CR, 9-1

Impressive Panas Shuts Out Class AA Arlington, 8-0

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays, & Jonathan Martirano

Local teams were scattered from Florida to New York last week in an otherwise light week of action due to spring recess, but the action heats up in the days ahead as temps are expected to rise this week into the mid-80s and league clashes begin to stack up.

Class A MAHOPAC defeated the John Jay CR Wolves on Wednesday in a crushing 9-1 victory. In the top of the first inning, Mahopac junior Tyler Debrocky had a solid inning, striking out two of the nine he would whiff. In the bottom of the inning, the Indians came out fast as junior third baseman DJ DeMatteo and Debrocky got on base for junior second baseman Robert Dusovic, who drove them both home with a two-run double for an early 2-0 lead.

Debrocky continued his strong start with a walk followed by three-straight strikeouts in the second inning, and added two more strikeouts in the third. Mahopac took things to another level in the home half of the third, exploding for seven runs. Senior captain and center fielder Joey Koch singled and DeMatteo walked, which led DeBrocky to bring them home with a two-run double to make it a 4-0 game. The hits kept coming for Mahopac as Dusovic singled to score DeBrocky with his third RBI and the 5-0 lead. Freshman catcher Drew Lichtenberger added a single and junior DH Casey Brandestetter was hit by a pitch to add two runners on base for freshman outfielder Nate Mascoll, who drove them home with his first varsity hit, a two-run single for the 7-0 lead, the two touted freshmen – Lichty and Mascoll – coming up strong for the tribe. Junior shortstop Tyler Castrataro added insurance with a two-run double, giving Mahopac the final margin over the Wolves.

“We played amazing. Debrocky really shoved today and our hitting was phenomenal. Everyone came to play today.” Mahopac senior Nevan Nystrom said.

DeBrocky continued his solid outing for the Indians, allowing no runs and struck out two more in the fifth inning, before being pulled from the game.

Nystrom replaced DeBrocky for the sixth inning, allowing an early run after a single and sac fly by the Wolves. After the single by John Jay, Nystrom pitched strong, allowing no hits for the rest of the inning.

Nystrom, in his first outing of the season, is all business out on the mound: “When I’m out there I put my whole focus on attacking the zone and getting ahead of the count. When you get ahead of the count you can have a lot more pitches to work with,” he said

Sophomore southpaw Jovani Segarra came in to pitch and close out the game for the Indians, striking out two to help Mahopac (2-1-1) secure its second win of the season. Lichtenberger and DeBrocky each went 2-for-4 with one RBI apiece in a 5-3 loss to Clarkstown North. Dusovic was 2-for-4.

In other Class A action, WALTER PANAS has impressed. Ranked nationally this season, the Panthers (5-1) have turned out a couple of choice wins, including last week’s 8-0 romp over 2022 Class AA runner-up Arlington behind ace RHP Jackson DiLorenzo and a sweep of HEN HUD. DiLo (2-0, 0.60 ERA, 11 IP) was shoving Admirals aside, whiffing 13 in all while scattering three hits over 6.1 IP. The 5-11, 210-pound DiLo (7 RBI, .562 BA)  delivered at the plate as well, homering, driving home a pair and putting two hits in play.

“We brought the energy right out of the gate, I mean the dugout and all the guys on the field were focused on the game at all times,” DiLorenzo said. “Arlington had a great squad and they came ready to swing at fastballs, so having the breaking ball work was great since I was able to work it in and set guys up to use my fastball. Working inside on hitters was a huge help. Most importantly though,  my guys helped me out by putting up eight runs. Getting guys like (Tony) Humphrey and (Sam) Stafura on base sets up myself, (Dan) Witters and (Randy) Wiesner perfectly to drive them in and create runs for the team. Up and down the order we produced even when we saw a very good arm. Some pinch hitters came in clutch, and it made my job very easy.”

Clemson-bound Panas SS Sam Stafura (8 RBI, .643 BA) tripled, drove home three and scored a pair of runs while Stetson-bound C Dan Witters (7 RBI, .625 BA) went 3 for 3 with two RBI and a double. The trio smashed against a Hen Hud (0-3) club that has struggled some out of the gate, including a 7-4 loss to Class B PUTNAM VALLEY, which saw versatile junior CF Ricky Meister go yard for a grand salami to support winning P Ryan Moriarty (6 2/3 IP, 5 Ks, 3 ER).

PV followed that up with a 12-4 league win against Pawling behind aceDylan Watson went (4 IP, 2 hits, 2 ER, 7 Ks), who also went 3-3 with 3 RBI and a dinger. Tiger reliever Dom Benedetto went the final three scoreless frames with no earned runs and three whiffs. Jay Constantino and Moriarty had two hits apiece while Meister (RBI), James Sanford, Connor Flynn, Sean Holzman and David DiLapi all had a hit for the Tigers (4-3).

“We’ve had a tremendous start, currently looking great, which is only going to get better,” Meister exclaimed.

SOMERS crushed Yonkers, 17-0, and fell short in a 3-2 loss to Arlington on the game’s final play despite top-notch pitching from Scranton-bound starter George Creighton and reliever Stephan Swee, plus Evan Carway’s RBI single.

Ravi Dass had two hits and three steals for the reigning Section 1 Class A champion Tuskers (2-2), who saw Andrew Kapika for 4 for 4 to support five different Tusker pitchers in the romp of winless Yonkers.

Note to be outdone by Panas, YORKTOWN (4-1-2 overall, 3-1 Section 1) also mastered Arlington in a 4-2 Husker triumph. Coach CJ Riefenhauser’s Huskers are young but on the come, especially if sidewinding RHP Jack Esposito can replicate his effort against Arlington. Espo went the distance, allowing just five hits and two earned runs while sending a career-high 11 Admirals down K-way. Dylan Koch and Brad Garrity had two hits and an RBI for the Huskers, who have a big week ahead with an intriguing home-and-home with Somers before games with RCK, two with Hen Hud and another with John Jay EF #ToughStretch.

BREWSTER beat Edgemont, 10-0, when P Collin Brennan fired a complete game with 11 K’s for the shutout. Antonio Galizia (2-for-3, 4 RBI) supplied the pop for the Bears (2-3). GREELEY (0-2-1) and LAKELAND (0-3) have yet to win while FOX LANE (1-1) should get cooking this week with tough games against Clarkstown South, Arlington and RCK. The Foxes are looking to build upon their 5-4 win over New Rochelle when ace Tyler Renz went six innings (no earned runs, 3 hits allowed, 11 K’s) in the Florida sun before Logan Provost chalked up the save. Drew Borelli (2-for-4 with a RBI) came up strong for the Foxes, who ransacked the bases (9 steals).

In early Class B action, WESTLAKE (3-0) is off to a solid start with CROTON (3-2), PLEASANTVILLE (3-2), BYRAM HILLS (2-2), PV (4-3) and BRIARCLIFF (3-3) all hovering in the middle of pack.

Croton’s Harry Kahn (five innings, six strikeouts) and Andrew Kim (two innings, save) combined on a no-hitter in a 5-4 win over Pleasantville as the two locals trotted down to Folorida for a week of baseball action. Tigers Sam Weiner (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Evan Kurtz (1-for-3, RBI, run) provided the support.

Panthers Steven Palma (2 RBI) and Ryan Pojednic (RBI) came up huge in the top of the seventh, leading the P’Ville to 6-4 win over Harrison earlier in the week.

VALHALLA is off to a slow start and the Vikings (0-3) will look to change their fortunes today at Putnam Valley.

In Class AA action, WHITE PLAINS began its week in Florida with a 2-1, nine-inning win over Bellflower (CA) at the IMG Classic where Sean DeBernardo stroked a game-winning RBI sac fly for the walk-off win. Ryan Conrad (RBI), Nicky Vendola, Sam Fusco, Chris Povemba and Adam Torres all had a hit to support starter Matt Borella, who went seven innings with one earned run, one hit and two walks while fanning five. Eduardo Muniz earned the win in relief with two scoreless frames for the Tigers (1-2).

Nevin Scaperotti went the distance, allowing just one run on five hits with nine strikeouts in CARMEL’s 3-1 win over North Rockland. Scap aided his own cause by going 2-for-3 at the plate with a run batted in. Kevin Heffernan’s two RBI and go-ahead dinger in the sixth inning was as clutch as it comes and Jade Gutierrez went 2-for-3 with a double for the rebuilding Rams (1-3), who then went out and laid an egg in an 11-1 loss to John Jay CR after hard-luck, one-run losses to Somers and Suffern.

OSSINING improved to 2-3 after a 3-0 win over Saunders and a 4-2 victory over Nanuet.

Jake Dymond went 2-for-2 with an RBI against Saunders, supporting pitcher Joseph Post (1-for-3, RBI), who tossed a complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts. Against Nanuet,  Owen Brennan went the distance, allowing two earned runs while Mike Lebenson (1-3, 2 RBI), Brown Griffin (2-2) and Dymond (1-1, 2 RBI) provided the offensive support for a Pride team that will be tested by Arlington and Fox Lane (2X) this week.

Examiner-area coaches are encouraged to send game-by-game results and comments to raygallaghersports@gmail.com for inclusion in our weekly notebook, which aspires to highlight Section 1 student athletes from White Plains to Carmel and all points in between. Please tag and follow @Directrays on Twitter.