Island Trees holds off Garden City
Island Tree's first baseman (29, left rear) and closer Chris Cutrone (3, front center) celebrate with two Island Trees players after winning. (May 26, 2011) Credit: Richard Slattery
Matt Bowen felt the pressure to close out his strong pitching performance.
Bowen had retired 12 straight batters and Island Trees had a four-run lead heading into the top of the seventh, but closing the game was not as easy as he expected.
"Up 5-1, think it's going to be cake,'' Bowen said, "but that pressure sets in and it's hard."
Bowen found himself in a jam: One run was already in and the potential go-ahead run was at the plate with the bases loaded and one out. After a popout, Garden City's James Cauchi hit an RBI single to cut the gap to 5-3 and put the tying run in scoring position. It also knocked Bowen out of the game.
"I was a little mad because I wanted to finish it out,'' Bowen said, "but I knew my guys behind me would be right there."
Chris Cutrone relieved Bowen and walked in a run before getting the save as No. 3 Island Trees hung on to defeat No. 4 Garden City, 5-4, in Game 3 of a Nassau Class A baseball semifinal Thursday.
Island Trees advanced to its third county final in five years and will take on No. 7 Division, with Game 1 at 2 p.m. Monday at Farmingdale State.
The Bulldogs took a 3-1 lead on Ryan MacDonald's solo home run, his first of the year, in the bottom of the second. MacDonald's blast sailed over the scoreboard in rightfield. "I thought Ryan was seeing the ball best in our lineup," coach Joe D'Auria said.
MacDonald went 3-for-4 with a stolen base, an RBI and three runs scored. Dom Raucci went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Cutrone was 2-for-4 with a run-scoring double and a run for Island Trees (21-5). Raucci drove in Cutrone for what proved to be the winning run in the sixth.
D'Auria said Cutrone, who came off an injury-plagued junior season, has been the playoff MVP so far for the Bulldogs.
"To see him come back and be All-County, win eight games for us and save this game, I'm so proud of him," D'Auria said.
Cauchi went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Garden City (19-6-1).
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
