by Max Edelman
FINAL: Bellmore 14 – Calhoun 13
A miracle Calhoun rally falls short at the plate, as catcher Derek Fong makes an incredible tag to end the game. Bellmore moves to 6-0 in league play and extends their win streak to 7. pic.twitter.com/09kfvitZAd
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 17, 2025
In a game that featured 27 runs, 26 hits and four total home runs, the Bellmore JFK Cougars took down the Calhoun Colts 14-13, the final out was recorded on a play at the plate.
Entering the top of the seventh inning down 14-6, the Colts stormed back, scoring seven seventh inning runs. With two on and two out, pitcher Cenzo Caravello’s pitch got past catcher Derek Fong. With what would have been the game tying run sprinting home, Fong was able to regather the ball and make a spectacular diving play to just beat Nick Esposito to the plate, and end the game at 14-13.
The game opened with an offensive by the Cougars, as they scored five runs in the first inning alone. It was the starting pitcher for the Cougars, Alex Demas, who provided the first spark of offense for JFK, as he drove in the first two runs of the game. Demas would also connect on a solo homer in the second inning.
After being intentionally walked the first of what would be three times over the course of the game, Derek Yormack was able to score on a successful double steal attempt, Matt Tolipinto added a run on an RBI single, and Fong followed up with a double to give the Cougars a 5-0 lead after one.
However, in what would become a trend in the game, the Colts failed to let large leads hinder them, as they brought the game back to within one in the top of the second. Joseph Geraci brought in the first two runs for the Colts on a single, and scored the third on a wild pitch. The fourth and final of the frame came on a double off the bat of Tim Lynch.
Much like the Colts coming back was a constant, so was the Cougars pulling back ahead. Third baseman Vito Mannino connected on a three run homer in the bottom of the second to make it 8-4, and Demas’ solo shot made it 9-4. The Colts cut the lead back to 9-5 in the top of the third, before Derek Yormack made the lead five again with a solo shot.
Yormack, who along with his twin brother Ryan, are both sophomores committed to play at Duke University. In the game, Derek was intentionally walked three times, including once with a full count. Despite that, his team was able to score 14 runs, which he credited to their mentality at the dish.
“We’re just a bunch of dogs at the plate.” Yormack said. “It shows a lot of respect for them to intentionally walk me three times.”
In the top of the fifth inning, Anthony Landolphi connected on the Cougars only homer of the ball game. After making the game 10-6, Calhoun surrendered four unanswered runs in the bottom half of the inning. A Dylan Babek sacrifice fly, Derek Yormack steal of home, and a two RBI single off the bat of pinch hitter Zach Mezrahi gave the Cougars a 14-6 lead, which seemed to all but extend their winning streak to seven. However, the Cougars had other ideas.
Bellmore adds even more. A sacrifice fly by Dylan Babek and a two run single off the bat of Zach Mezrahi put Bellmore up 14-6, and just three outs from their seventh consecutive victory. pic.twitter.com/fJjdMur9Wk
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 17, 2025
Walks were an issue throughout the game for the Cougars, as they walked 11 batters throughout the game, and the walks eventually came back to bite them. In the seventh, after a hit and two walks loaded the bases, Brandon Myers drove in the first run of the inning for the Colts.
One batter later, Lynch drove in three on a double, that saw Lynch end up on third base after the throw cleared the fence. Clinging to a 14-10 lead, Ryan Morash added another run on a single, and two more scored on a single by Esposito. However, heroics by Derek Fong at the plate ended the game, and kept the Cougars an undefeated 6-0 in league play.
The Cougars will look to further extend their winning streak to seven when they take on the Long Beach Marines on April 21.
