Ducks drop finale to Lancaster a day after earning series win
Long Island Ducks Tyler Dearden drives a single to the outfield in a game against the Lancaster Stormers, Sunday, April 28, 2024 at Fairfield Properties Ballpark. Credit: George A Faella
The Ducks eyed a season-opening four-game sweep of Lancaster on Sunday, but those plans were spoiled from the get-go.
The Stormers built an eight-run lead through three innings — plating three in the first, two in the second and three in the third — and Ducks starting pitcher Charlie Neuweiler was pulled after the second.
The Ducks collected 10 hits but left nine runners on base as they fell to Lancaster, 13-4, at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip.
“I think we just need to do a better job of getting strike one, attacking the zone,” Ducks manager Lew Ford said. “We were behind in the count. Also using a lot of pitches to get through those innings . . . Overall, we just got to throw more strikes, and starting early in the count.”
The Ducks (3-1) still won the series over the back-to-back Atlantic League champions.
Kyle Hess scored on a wild pitch, Niko Hulsizer blooped an RBI single and Chris Proctor had a two-out RBI double in the first inning for Lancaster (1-3). Hess, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, blasted a two-run homer to right in the second.
Neuweiler (0-1) allowed five runs, six hits and two walks. Center Moriches’ Liam Pulsipher replaced Neuweiler in the third and allowed four earned runs and four walks in 2 1⁄3 innings as Lancaster took an 8-0 lead.
Tyler Dearden hit a two-run homer to right-centerfield for the Ducks to cut the deficit to 8-2 in the fourth.
“I walked my first at-bat, saw a lot of pitches,” Dearden said. “So I saw everything [Stormers starter Nile Ball] had. Got a first-pitch fastball and just jumped all over it.”
Ball struck out five and allowed two runs in five innings.
Righthander Bobby Vath, a Newfield High School product and 2018 Newsday All-Long Island second-team selection, was a bright spot for the Ducks. He struck out four and allowed one hit and one walk in 3 2⁄3 scoreless innings.
Vath was invited to spring training after the Ducks’ open player tryout April 13 and had a successful first regular-season appearance Sunday.
“You try to take positives out of games like this,” Ford said, “and definitely Bobby — the way he pitched — was a positive today.”
Heath’s status
Ducks leadoff hitter and starting outfielder Nick Heath was pulled in the sixth after hitting a fifth-inning double. Ford said Heath had a “little tightness” and pulled him because of the score. Ford hopes he will be available for Tuesday’s game against Staten Island.
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
