Andrew Mandelbaum had 2 hits including a 2-R HR that capped a 7-run inning for West Babylon in a 9-5 win over East Islip @GetGameChanger pic.twitter.com/Zb4IOgz8Is
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 23, 2025
For a brief period, this game resembled all of East Islip‘s previous games this season – allowing no runs and taking a 3-0 lead with an ace pitcher on the mound.
Then came a nightmare fourth inning in which they allowed West Babylon to send 13 batters to the plate, 7 to score punctuated by a two-run homer to Andrew Mandelbaum. It was a complete surprise, as East Islip had thrown an incredible seven shutouts through their first 8 league games.
The pitching match up was a great one – Anthony Gerbasio for West Babylon against Albany-commit Jaden Schmidt for the undefeated Redmen. Not only did they enter the game unbeaten, but teams were simply struggling putting hits on the board. This is a team that fired three consecutive no-hitters to kick off the season.
Through that lens, this comeback seems even more improbable.
The teams exchanged zeros in the first inning and Gerbasio fired a scoreless top of the second inning as well. In the bottom of the second, the first bit of misfortune hit the Redmen as Schmidt appeared to suffer an injury to his lower body and was taken out of the game. His replacement, John Talt, calmly retired the next two batters, including a strikeout to get his offense back in the dugout.
In the top of the third, the Redmen broke through thanks to back-to-back walks issued to Dylan Casani and Thomas Costarelli, followed by a two-run double to right center by Michael Tramaglini to make it a 2-0 ballgame. They added a third run on an RBI single to center by Matt Pasfield.
Top 3: Michael Tramaglini comes through with a well struck 2-R double to right center and East Islip takes a 2-0 lead pic.twitter.com/KGBnAPYe2F
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 23, 2025
At that moment, it certainly appeared this game would follow the same script as all of East Islip’s previous games – even without Schmidt on the hill.
West Babylon was able to cut into that deficit in the home half of the third when Josh Gomez got things started with a HBP and advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt. After a sac bunt, Steve Gervasi ripped an RBI single to score Gomez. He stole second base and third, and after Elijah Outlaw drew a walk, Anthony Gerbasio scored Gervasi on an RBI groundout to make it 3-2. The next batter was retired to conclude the inning.
Gerbasio went back out and fired a scoreless fourth inning, working around a walk and stolen base by Casani.
The theatrics came in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Bottom 4: Steve Gervasi comes through with a clutch, 2-out, 2-R single to left and West Babylon takes a 4-3 lead pic.twitter.com/7W7Y5xpq70
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 23, 2025
As is often the case, the rally began with a leadoff walk issued to Xavier Estevez. The interesting thing is that he was thrown out attempting to steal, and the next batter struck out. With two outs and nobody on, it was fair to assume there would be no crooked number in this inning. Another walk, however, gave some life to West Babylon and they seized the opportunity with a single to right field by Josh Gomez, a walk to load the bases and a clutch, two-run single by Steve Gervasi to give them the 4-3 lead. Unsatisfied, they kept it going with an RBI infield single by Elijah Outlaw (although it did appear the ball hit off his foot). Gerbasio came through with a huge two-run single to center and the following batter, Andrew Mandelbaum, sent his dugout into a frenzy when he crushed a two-run shot just over the left field fence. A ground ball to third was thrown away, which was followed by a single by Matt Critchley and a walk to load the bases. Finally, the inning was ended on a ground out to third. All told, seven runs scored – all with two out – and West Babylon sent 13 men to the plate.
“It was electric,” said Gervasi. “Everyone was staying engaged in the game, having each other’s back, everyone was cheering on each other, it was awesome, it was amazing!”
The game was not over, though, in fact East Islip had another rally in them in the next inning.
After the first batter was retired, three straight walks loaded the bases – the latter two issued by the reliever Nico Milani – and Chris LaMacchia came through with an RBI single and that was followed by an RBI ground out off the bat of Billy Mahoney to make it 9-5. After another walk, Dylan Casani was retired on a ground out to third to end the jam.
Tim Coakley came on for East Islip and he fired a 1-2-3 inning to get his team back in the dugout.
Milani went back out for the sixth inning and ran into trouble, allowing a double to Tramaglini and a single to Lucas Patton to put the tying run on deck with 1 out. He was able to bear down and strikeout the next two batters to emphatically end the jam.
Mandelbaum doubled with one out in the sixth inning for his second hit of the day, but the next two batters struck out to send the game to the seventh.
Milani was able to calmly fire a 1-2-3 inning to slam the door on a game that took nearly 2 hours, 40 minutes to complete, and improved West Babylon’s record to 8-3.
“Absolutely,” said Gervasi in regards to whether they had this date circled on the calendar. “We want to win our league, and we have to go through them,” he added.
These teams will be back in action tomorrow at East Islip for the rubber game of the series.
