Former Ward Melville stars Steven Matz, Anthony Kay to square off in MLB pitching matchup
From left: Rays pitcher Steven Matz and White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay were stars on the Ward Melville baseball team.
Lou Petrucci would love to be on the South Side of Chicago Thursday afternoon. Two of Petrucci’s proteges will face off in an All-Long Island pitching matchup when the Tampa Bay Rays play the White Sox at 2:10 p.m.
“The only road trip I’ll be on for this Thursday is the one to Connetquot High School,” said Petrucci, who guides the Ward Melville High School team in East Setauket. “I would love to be in Chicago. But I have an obligation to coach my team. I texted both guys and apologized that I couldn’t be there for such a big moment. I hope they both go seven innings in a scoreless tie.”
Steven Matz graduated from Ward Melville in 2009 and Anthony Kay graduated in 2013. Petrucci said the stage was set for the two former Ward Melville standouts to pitch in the same game on July 30, 2023.
“I was in St. Louis for Steven’s start against the Cubs,” Petrucci said. “I was hoping like crazy that Anthony would come out of the bullpen in relief for the Cubs. It didn’t happen.”
Petrucci added that Ward Melville assistant coach Ron Muscarella arranged to have the Tampa-Chicago game livestreamed into the school gymnasium.
“We will have a watch party in the gymnasium at 2 p.m. before our bus leaves for Connetquot for a league game,” Petrucci said. “Both guys told me that it adds a little flavor to the game. It’s such a big moment for two guys that talk to each other and have become great friends. Two guys that went to the same high school will pitch against each other in The Show – that’s something cool.”
Ward Melville High School baseball coach Lou Petrucci is flanked by two of his former players, now MLB pitchers, Anthony Kay, left, and Steven Matz. Credit: Lou Petrucci
Matz, 34, is 3-0 with a 3.94 ERA and still starting 17 years after he was drafted in 2009 in the supplemental round with the 72nd pick overall by the Mets.
Kay, 31, is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA. He was a first round selection, 29th overall, of the Mets in 2016.
On July 20, 2023, Matz and Marcus Stroman (Patchogue-Medford) squared off in an all-Long Island duel in the National League’s Central Division. St. Louis' Matz pitched five innings and allowed a run, three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in a 7-2 win over the Cubs. It was Matz’ first win of the season and dropped Stroman’s record to 10-7.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
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