by Tucker Terranova
Final: Massapequa 9, Syosset 1
A big afternoon from Thomas Harding leads the Chiefs to their eighth consecutive conference victory. pic.twitter.com/q8KByYALM6
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 12, 2025
No team on Long Island may be more determined to reclaim a county championship than the Massapequa Chiefs.
“We’re very hungry, especially after how last season ended,” said St. John’s-commit Thomas Harding in a post game interview. “We’ve been playing harder than ever.”
After their six-year reign atop Nassau County was ended by Port Washington in 2024, the Chiefs know exactly what it takes to return to the top: dominant pitching, timely hitting, and catching fire at the right moment.
The 2025 version of the Chiefs checked all those boxes Monday night. Harding spun five innings of one-hit ball, while every member of the Massapequa lineup reached base in a 9-1 Conference AAA win over Syosset.
The victory marked Massapequa’s eighth straight in league play and completed a sweep of the Braves, outscoring them 19-3 across the two-game set.
What started as a pitcher’s duel quickly became a showcase for Harding on both sides of the ball.
The future Johnnie shook off a shaky start after walking two of the first three batters he faced, locking in to record five strikeouts through two innings. The punchout was Harding’s weapon of choice all afternoon, as he struck out 12 over five dominant frames.
“I got into a groove early and was able to settle in,” Harding said. “My fastball was working really well, and the main pitch for me today was my changeup.”
Harding helps his own cause, driving in two with a double to get Massapequa on the board.
T2 | Massapequa 2, Syosset 0 pic.twitter.com/KdAgTb4zEt
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 12, 2025
In the top of the second, he helped his own cause with a two-run double off the center-field fence to put the Chiefs on the board.
Following a scoreless frame from Harding in the bottom half, Massapequa’s offense went right back to work, adding one in the third and exploding for five in the fourth.
Anthony Di Nello delivered a two-out RBI single to right in the third, setting the stage for a fourth-inning outburst in which the Chiefs batted around.
Singles by AJ Conza and Bridgeport-commit Vincenzo Della Porta brought Harding to the plate again, and he stayed hot with a sharp RBI single through the left side.
“I was just trying to hit the ball hard, take aggressive swings, and hope for the best,” Harding said.
After Caiden Erker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run, Jason Romance and Di Nello followed with RBI singles, Romance driving in two, as eight of nine Chiefs reached base in the inning.
“Once I see my teammates doing well, it fires me up and motivates me to be even better on the mound,” Harding said. “They did a great job supplying runs today.”
Syosset broke through in the fifth, capitalizing on heads-up baserunning by Emory-commit Ethan Ramirez. After stealing third with two outs, the speedy center fielder dashed home on an errant throw from the catcher.
Massapequa handed the ball to the junior southpaw Conza in the sixth, and he delivered two clean innings of relief. He chipped in again at the plate in the seventh, advancing Michael Smar with a groundout to set up Della Porta, whose second single of the game drove in a run to make it 9-1.
Massapequa wraps up its Conference AAA schedule with a doubleheader against Hicksville this week, looking to enter the postseason with continued momentum.
