Pitchers have been dominating Long Island baseball this season
John Downing #9, Chaminade left-handed pitcher, delivers to the plate in the bottom of the first inning against St. Anthony's on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Credit: James Escher
The arms have it in Long Island high school baseball this spring. When you look at the top teams, you’ll find deep pitching on each staff.
Chaminade opened the season with a 15-game win streak, including seven victories by shutout. That did not come by accident. It came by an overpowering staff led by Seton Hall-bound lefthander John Downing, who has a 6-0 record and has shut down the CHSAA competition. JJ Gatti, who is headed to Dayton, is 3-1.
Hitters in Nassau are finding it difficult to score runs against MacArthur. The Generals have been dominant in Nassau Conference A1 with outstanding pitching and a 15-0 record, including 11 by shutout. Sophomore lefty Tyler Bonsignore has a 5-0 record with five straight shutouts and 32 strikeouts in 26 innings. Matt Sarni is 4-0 with 31 strikeouts in 23 innings and Ryan Castrillon is 3-0 with 33 strikeouts in 21 innings.
Statistically speaking, the Generals have the best starting rotation on Long Island and are expected to go deep into the Class A postseason.
Patchogue-Medford is currently tied with Sachem East atop Suffolk League I. The Raiders have Suffolk’s most formidable rotation with Evan Balbera, Josh Knoth and Robbie Melo. Balbera has five wins and Knoth has four victories, including a perfect game. Melo adds three wins for the Raiders, who are 12-1 in league play and 13-2 overall. The team has tossed seven shutouts.
The Rocky Point staff may be the deepest on Long Island. The Eagles have used four starters, the latest, in East Tennessee State commit Cody Miller, who shut out Kings Park for six innings and struck out 10 in a 5-0 win. Nic Benhardt, headed to Central Connecticut, is 4-0 with a save. Sean Hamilton, who will play at Hofstra, is 3-0 and the sweet-swinging Dom Carbone also has three wins.
It’s a pitcher’s world so far this season.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
