Tigers Baseball and Softball End Seasons in Opening Round of Playoffs
The Tigers roared back against East Ramapo High School, scoring 10 runs in the second inning to win their Section 1 outbracket game, 14-6, on Wednesday, May 23, at White Plains High School.
The Tigers (10-11) qualified for the Section 1 AA Playoffs with the win against the Titans and received a number 14-seed in the Playoffs.
The Tigers were losing, 3-0, after the first inning but showed patience at the plate to answer Ramapo, with 10 runs in the second inning. “I cannot remember a time this year when we have been down in a game and ended up winning the game,” stated White Plains Head Coach Marcel Galligani.
Tigers senior Stephen Schiavone pitched four innings, giving up three runs on five hits against Ramapo. However, despite a troubled first inning for Schiavone, when Ramapo scored three runs on two hits and a hit batsman, he settled down to allow only one hit, two walks and no runs the next three innings. “It was hard to find my command at first but once I got the confidence from the 10-run inning, it was smooth sailing from there,” stated Schiavone.
Ramapo starting pitcher Sacha Urbach lost his control in the second inning and the Tigers took full advantage by being patient at the plate. White Plains drew five walks and Urbach also hit two batters in the second inning.
Urbach was relieved by pitcher Vinny Burns in the second inning and he did not fair much better than the Titans starting pitcher. Burns immediately gave up four consecutive hits, including a double to Tigers leftfielder Chris Medeot and another two-bagger to shortstop Eric Smiley.
Medeot had two doubles on the day and two RBIs. Tigers’ centerfielder Sean Johnson had two hits, two RBIs and scored three runs, while rightfielder Cameron Crabbe also had two hits and two RBIs and catcher Kyle Adams swatted a double and produced two RBIs.
When the smoke cleared at White Plains High School, the Tigers had beaten the Titans, 14-6. They immediately started packing for their trip to Wappingers Falls to take on the No. 3 seed, R.C. Ketcham High School, in the opening round of the Section 1 Playoffs.
“We got down early in the game but we were able to have quality at bats that helped us get back into the game. This can only help us going against Ketcham,” stated Galligani.
Despite a gallant effort, the Tigers season would end in Wappingers Falls on Friday, May 25. Ketcham (17-4) defeated the Tigers 3-1 behind superb pitching by senior Seth Lamando, who will attend Costal Carolina University next season.
Ketchum is the Section 1 Conference 1 League A Champion this year. Lamando had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning of the game when Ketcham beat Arlington High School, 6-2, to clinch on May 9.
Lamando pitched a four-hit complete game with one walk and eight strike-outs against the Tigers. Lamando’s fastball ranged from 86 to 88 mph in the game, while occasionally reaching speeds of up to 89 mph.
Galligani did not hesitate when asked to evaluate R.C. Ketcham’s ace pitcher Lamando. “He is considered by just about everybody as the top pitcher in Section 1,” noted Galligani.
Nonetheless, sophomore Chris Medeot pitched an impressive game for the Tigers as well. Medeot relinquished six hits, two walks (one intentional) and two earned runs in six innings. “Chris pitched great. Eighty-four pitches in six innings with two earned runs and his six hits were scattered [throughout the game],” praised Galligani.
Even with Lamando on the mound for the Indians, it was a very close opening round game. However, the Tigers could only muster four singles against Lamando, compounded by a spectacular catch and double play by the Ketcham rightfielder on a potential hit by Tommy Bertram with Tigers on first and second base.
Furthermore, the Indians scored all three of their runs with two outs. “[White Plains] was not to be taken lightly,” stated Ketcham Head Coach Pat Mealy. “They came in as a 14 seed and played as well as any team we played all year.”
Now the Tigers look to next season. The Tigers lose six seniors but only two seniors, Schiavone and Smiley, from their starting line-up. They bring back a multitude of talent, including Medeot, Adams, Johnson, Crabbe, the Nicholson brothers – Sean and Kevin – as well as second baseman Bertram and closer Juan Payero.
Local high school baseball fans can surely look forward to some exciting baseball at WPHS next season. “All the players we had on the field against Ketcham, we lose only Schiavone and Smiley. They were the one and two hitters in our line-up and that will not be easy to replace; but I am absolutely looking forward to next season,” concluded Galligani.
Tigers Softball Loses to Arlington in Opening Round
The White Plains High School softball team also ended its 2012 season in the opening round of the Section 1 Playoffs. The No. 9-seeded Tigers were defeated by the No. 8-seeded Arlington High School, 5-1, at Arlington, on Friday, May 25.
Tigers’ pitcher Danielle Sputo (10-9) concluded her first year pitching varsity softball by allowing six hits and two earned runs to the Admirals in the loss.
The Tigers loaded the bases twice in the first four innings of the game but could only produce one run. “We had our opportunities especially since it was 3-1 until the sixth inning,” said Tigers Head Coach Ted O’Donnell.
The Tigers softball team concluded its 2012 campaign 10-9. They will lose only two seniors to graduation. Therefore, O’Donnell’s young Tigers team from this season will return next year with experience on the diamond.
“We had more one and two-run games then ever before in my seventeen years coaching the team,” said O’Donnell. “We are only losing two players and because of all the injuries this year, many of our returning players received significant playing time and valuable experience,” explained O’Donnell.
Tigers’ senior outfielder Olivia Freeman and rightfielder Toni Moricone will graduate this year. “Almost the entire team is playing summer ball on my Warriors team so that experience should help prepare us to be very competitive in 2013,” projected O’Donnell.
