Novotny hurls Wantagh past Division to Nassau A title

Wantagh's Derek Novotny spent much of the 78-minute lightning and rain delay in a covered dugout at Farmingdale State, sipping drinks, keeping his pitching arm loose, and trying to relax.

The Nassau Class A baseball title could depend on him when Wantagh and Division restarted play, and now he had some time to think about it.

Novotny, who had a five-run lead at the start of the weather delay, returned to the mound with the right mindset and finished the Warriors' 7-2 win last night. It gave the Warriors a sweep of the best-of-three series and Wantagh's first county title since 1998.

"My arm felt great," Novotny said coming out of the break. "I felt like it was a new game. I didn't even look at the scoreboard and just thought it was 0-0."

At the end, Novotny turned and looked at the final score in leftfield. The senior pitched a complete game, allowing six hits, two runs and one walk with three strikeouts.

The Warriors (22-5) play either Kings Park or Hauppauge in the Long Island Class A championship at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Farmingdale State. Division finishes 15-12.

Matt Benedetto went 4-for-4 with an RBI and Mike Addeo, Matt Dybus and Kevin Cohen each had two RBIs for Wantagh, which raced to a 3-0 lead in the third inning and led 7-2 when lightning flashed beyond centerfield before the bottom of the fifth.

SEE PHOTOSWantagh 7, Division 2

After the delay, Novotny walked the first batter he faced on four pitches but then retired nine straight. He struck out three of the final six batters after not recording a strikeout before the ominous weather.

"He stayed strong and took us home," Benedetto said. "This is the greatest feeling in the world."

Addeo hit a two-run double to left-centerfield with no outs in the top of the first to give Wantagh a 2-0 lead and it was 3-0 heading into the bottom of the third, when Division scored twice.

But the Warriors responded with three runs in the top of the fourth. Dybus hit a two-out, two-run single to centerfield to make it 5-2 and Cohen added another RBI.

SEE PHOTOSHigh school sports -- June

In the fifth, Benedetto's RBI single to left-centerfield scored Mike Rumel.

"There's nothing like winning a county championship," Wantagh coach Keith Sachs said. "It's one of the toughest leagues in the state. This is a great feeling."