Thanks to a four-run second inning and only two hits allowed by starter Mike Castiglie through four innings, Chaminade was cruising in the opener of a best-of-three NSCHSAA semifinal series against St. Dominic.
But then…
“We lost control,” Chaminade coach Mike Pienkos said. “We lost control of the plate, we had a bunch of walks in those two innings and you can’t allow that.”
Top-seeded St. Dominic rallied for seven unanswered runs, including five in the sixth inning, to beat the fourth-seeded Flyers, 7-4, at Farmingdale State College Monday night.
Chaminade (14-10) will need to win Game 2, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, to force a decisive third game Thursday at Farmingdale.
“You can’t dwell on this now,” Pienkos said. “It’s bitter, but you have to come up tomorrow big. It’s do or die now for us.”
Rob Hopes set the offensive tone for the Flyers with an RBI-double to deep center field off Bayhawks starter Kieran Ryan in the second. Jack Graffagnino scored on a two-out throwing error and Mike Cavallaro drove in two with a single to right to give Chaminade a 4-0 lead.
“We started to square up pitches in the first couple of innings,” Hopes said. “That’s a big thing for us. It kind of puts pressure on the other team, but those were the only runs we put up.”
Castiglie, meanwhile, was solid through four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out five. The senior from Middle Island struck out Chris Volberg to open the fifth inning, but then gave up a double to center by Mike Cafiero and walked Dan Hopkins and Kevin Podell before hitting Troy Scocca for St. Dominic’s first run.
After a bases-loaded walk to Jack Zagaja, Castiglie was pulled for Dan Caniano, who struck out John LaRossa and Mark Flynn to get out of the jam.
But Caniano also struggled with his command in the sixth inning with three consecutive one-out walks. Podell followed with a single off Caniano’s foot that forced the senior off the field and to the hospital with a bone bruise.
Vanderbilt-bound junior Brendan Spagnuolo didn’t fare much better, giving up three straight singles as the Bayhawks (16-6) exploded for five runs.
“A couple of breaks here and there, some balls found their way through, a couple guys misplayed them,” Hopes said. “But we have to step up more and make one or two more pitches to get out of these jams we get into late in games.”
The Flyers attempted to rally in the seventh, loading the bases with one out before St. Dom’s coach Rich Garrett called on Danny Rodriguez to close it out. The senior struck out Graffagnino looking before Hopes flew out deep to right to end the game.
“I just missed it a little bit,” Hopes said. “A couple more feet it gets over his head, maybe goes over the wall and we walk out of here with a win.”
The Flyers now face a must-win game, but they have already won two of those games this postseason, beating St. Mary’s and Kellenberg.
“I have no doubt about it,” Pienkos said, when asked if he believes his team will bounce back in Game 2. “I think we’re going to play a good game.”
