In the opening game in New Hyde Park in the Williamsport Tournament, pitcher Kyle Cajigas set the tone early pitching five solid innings, striking out seven and allowing only two runs.
NHP led 3-2 in the sixth when Floral Park staged a rally to tie the score at three. The game went into extra innings and in the ninth, John Hayes started the inning with a hit by pitch, Dylan Savarese followed with a bunt single, after the runners advanced to second and third, TJ Goustas laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt for the run.
Savarese,on third, then took off for home to make the score 5-3. Floral Park would not go away, and scored one in the bottom of the ninth and had the bases loaded with two outs. Niko Rullo was called to the mound and promptly threw three strikes to close out the game 5-4.
Kyle Cajigas was the hitting star going 3 for 4, including a two run homer in the third inning. Rullo added two hits an RBI and a run scored, Jake Villacias added a run scored in the third as well.
NHP Juniors after riding their opening win in the tournament faced a very stern test vs Malverne.
Behind the solid pitching of Eric Mihok (four Innings, two runs, three hits) and Niko Rullo (three Innings, 0 runs, two hits) prevailed 3-2.
Trailing 2-0 in the 4th, Kyle Cajigas led off with a single, with one out, Mike Thornton and Mihok followed with consecutive walks, Jeremy Elkashash then drew a bases loaded walk for the first run. Zachary Reifschneider then drove a single into left to tie the score at two.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh, after one out Rullo, who was on base three times, walked, Cajigas reached on an error to put runners on second and third. After an intentional walk to the number-four hitter Doug Obidienzo, Justin Bellamy delivered the game winning hit into right center field for the 3-2 win.
Both of these games were team victories for NHP and the contributions came from all the players.
Vincent Balletta was utilized as a special pinch runner in both games and has stole bases.
