Kent Sox Stay Hot, Pick Up Wins over Cortlandt, Stamford

KENT—The Kent White Sox college division team (24U) picked two important wins last weekend - beating Cortlandt, 9-4, Sunday at Ryan Park, and edging Stamford, 1-0, Saturday at home - and advanced to this week’s playoffs.

Ryan Rodriguez of Kent is picked off first base Saturday at Ryan Field. The Sox went on to post a 1-0 win over Stamford. Skip Pearlman Kent (12-13), which has won eight of its last 10 games, was scheduled to play a quarterfinal game yesterday (Wednesday, too late for this edition). Semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, with finals following Sunday.

Sunday against Cortlandt (13-13), Evan Hoffman earned the win, with Dan Gray pitching in relief.

Vin Sabatini and Mike Torres each went 2-for-2 with two RBI for Kent. Brandon Lugo drove in two runs, and Colin Burns, Jeff Oratz and Bob Rodriguez each had an RBI.

One day earlier at Ryan Park, Nick DeNapoli tossed a three-hit shutout and struck out eight without a walk to earn the win for the Sox.

Left: Nick DeNapoli pitched a three-hit shutout and struck out eight last Saturday, as Kent beat Stamford, 1-0. Sabatini drove in the game-winning run in the first inning, singling to score DeNapoli, who walked and stole second.

Friday night at Lakeland High School, Kent had to settle for a 5-5 tie against Shrub Oak.

Tom Sullivan earned the non-decision for the Sox.

Lugo, Bob Rodriguez, Ryan Rodriguez and Jim Ferreira each had one RBI for Kent.

“We’ve been pitching well all season,” Kent coach Neil Oratz said. “Our hitting is coming around and we’ve won eight of our last 10 to get into the playoffs… so we’re playing well now. We’re a young team for this league, so we’ve been a little overwhelmed hitting-wise. But the addition of Sabatini has helped get us going.”
Right, from Top to Bottom: Mike Torres of Kent went 2-for-2 and drove in two runs in a win over Cortlandt Sunday. • Vin Sabatini drove in the game-winning run in Kent’s 1-0 win over Stamford. • Brandon Lugo for Kent had two RBI in a win over Cortlandt Sunday. Photos by SKIP PEARLMAN.