Vrana pitches Lindenhurst past Calhoun to LI title

Fans filled the stands, stood in the stairways, lined the outfield fence and lounged on the hill behind left. On the mound, Calhoun's Joe Christopher relived one of the biggest games of his baseball career - the day about five years ago when the Merrick righty defeated Lindenhurst to win the Little League state title.

Christopher didn't forget. And Lindenhurst (23-1), that town and team starved for some type of championship, didn't forget, either. Christopher was excellent, but the Bulldogs, many of whom played on that Little League team, were relentless, as Lindenhurst defeated Calhoun, 4-2, in front of an estimated 1,500 spectators at Farmingdale State.

Jimmy Briggs singled over the head of a leaping Robbie Rosen at third base to drive in Steve Skon from third with no outs in the sixth inning to break a tie at 1. Skon reached second on an infield error and advanced to third on a wild pitch. It is the first Long Island championship in team history - just days after the Bulldogs clinched their first county championship since 1963.

Christopher allowed one earned run and six hits in six innings.

"It's a monster game," Lindenhurst coach Mike Canobbio said. "There's been a phenomenal response. The entire community wants this so badly."

And fewer wanted it more than Bulldogs lefty Rich Vrana. Vrana, the crafty, converted reliever who became the staff ace after Tom Bamman got hit with a line drive earlier in the season, was untouchable, allowing two runs and four hits.

The seventh, however, gave him a scare. After walking the leadoff hitter on four pitches, Alex Ras hit a line drive that was caught by Skon at shortstop. Zach Goldstein singled home Frank Trimarco from second. John Eyerman grounded into a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with two outs, before Vrana induced a fly ball to center.

SEE PHOTOSClass AA LIC: Lindenhurst 4, Calhoun 2

"We brought up the core of this team when they were young," Canobbio said. "They're not only good ballplayers, they're good role models."

Lindenhurst scored twice more in the seventh inning off reliever Joey Saladino. Manning led off the inning with a single, advanced to third on two straight walks, and later came around to score on a wild pitch. An infield single by Briggs later in the inning plated the fourth run.

And, when centerfielder Mike Roehrig squeezed his glove to signal the final out, the Lindenhurst crowd showed its appreciation. "There's been a phenomenal response," Canobbio said. "They really support us."