McCormick's catch ignites Eastport win

There was trouble in the air.

Eastport-South Manor centerfielder Ryan McCormick had to fight a battle on three fronts from the moment the ball left the bat of Hauppauge's John Colby in the fifth inning of a 4-4 game.

Colby launched a long fly ball that seemed certain to score the tie-breaking run and perhaps even clear the fence in dead center at the 382-foot sign. First, McCormick had to fight the sun. Then there was a strong, swirling wind that favored the hitters. And, finally, as the ball kept carrying, he had to contend with the fence.

"The sun was really bad. So was the wind," said McCormick, who had no intention of slowing down as he neared the fence. "That was a big spot in the game. Whatever it took to make the play I was going to do."

McCormick make a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch. He then drove in one of two runs in the top of the sixth as Eastport-South Manor defeated Hauppauge, 7-4, Thursday in a crucial League V game. Both teams are 9-2 and have split a series that concludes Friday at Eastport-South Manor.

"The was one of the greatest catches I've seen and it was the greatest feeling," said Sharks pitcher Joe Palmieri, who pitched a gritty complete game, allowing just one earned run and no walks while striking out five.

After McCormick's second gem -- the centerfielder also made a brilliant running catch in the first -- ESM took the lead. Sean Doyle's long double to center set up the inning. Mike Flynn's bloop single made it 5-4 and pinch-runner Mike Griffiths hustled home from second on McCormick's fielder's choice grounder.

SEE PHOTOSEastport 7, Hauppauge 4

Earlier, McCormick's single leading off the game ignited a three-run rally highlighted by freshman Mat Annunziata's two-run homer over the rightfield fence. Annunziata added an RBI single in the second for a 4-0 lead. But Hauppauge scored once in the second on Mike Napolitano's long RBI double and three unearned runs in the third, featuring run-scoring singles by Colby and Franco Testani.

Palmieri was so fired up by McCormick's catch and his team's two-run uprising that he showed rare emotion in the bottom of the sixth, pumping his fists after both of his strikeouts.

"That's definitely not me," Palmieri said with a sheepish laugh. "I don't usually show any emotion out there. But this was a must-win game."