Dominant Sox Take Down Three

KENT – The Kent White Sox 18U baseball team split a double-header Sunday against Harrison, dropping game one, 3-1, then taking the nightcap, 6-2, at Ryan Park in WBA Wood Bat League play. The White Sox also ripped New Fairfield, 11-1, last Friday on the road.

Mike Marek of Kent is tagged out sliding into second Saturday. Saturday in game one against Harrison (10-8), Jeremy Lovera took the loss for the Sox on the mound. Lovera allowed two earned runs and went the distance. Rich Scappaticci earned the win for Harrison.

The Sox came back in game two, with Brandon Lugo pitching and picking up the win for Kent (19-8 overall, 10-4 WBA). Lugo improved to 5-2 and allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. Jake Bell pitched in relief and got a save.

Colin Burns and Jared Shoemaker each doubled and had one RBI for Kent, Lugo drove in a run and doubled, and Lovera went 3-for-3 with a steal of home and five total stolen bases.

Right: Kent’s Jeremy Lovera pitched well, but took a loss Saturday against Harrison in game one. Lovera went 3-for-3 with five steals in a win in game two. Photo by Skip Pearlman. One day earlier at New Fairfield, Nick Denapoli (6-0) earned the win on the mound for Kent. Denapoli struck out eight and allowed one run on four hits in a complete-game performance.

John Zumbo homered and doubled and finished with three RBI for the Sox, Paul Strubing went 3-for-3 with an RBI, and Denapoli, Jeff Oratz, Steve McLoed and Troy Torres each had one RBI.

Last Thursday at Ryan, the White Sox posted an 8-5 victory over Putnam Valley.

Torres got the win on the hill for Kent.

Lugo went 3-for-4 with four RBI, Strubing had two RBI and doubled, and Denapoli and Oratz each went 2-for 2 with one RBI.

The prior Monday, Kent edged New Fairfield, 6-5, with Evan Hoffman earning the win.

Brandon Lugo of Kent picked up the win on the mound in the nightcap of a double-header Saturday. Lugo also had an RBI double in the win. Zumbo picked up the game-winning RBI with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. Lovera also smacked a two-run homer, and Strubing had an RBI.

Kent also dropped an 11-1 decision to Somers last Wednesday, with Zumbo taking the loss on the mound.

“In game one Saturday we came out flat,” Sox manager Neil Oratz said. “We just didn’t hit. Lovera pitched well, but we didn’t support him. In game two we put some hits together, and the steal of home gave us a big insurance run. Lugo did a nice job in his first start, and Bell came on in a tough situation (bases loaded) and got a big out. We’ve been hitting the ball well. Zumbo had a tworun homer, Lugo has been doing well, and Oratz is hitting well. And Lovera has been a dynamo on the bases.”

Nick Denapoli of Kent takes a cut Saturday against Harrison. Kent was set to play a double-header today (Thursday) at Ryan, taking on Yorktown starting at 5:30pm. The Sox host Somers Friday at 6pm, and visit Putnam Valley Saturday at noon.