Eastport-South Manor 7, East Hampton 6
WP: Gabe Sikora (4 IP in relief, 0 runs, 2 H)Mason Gatchalian: 2-3, R, sac, walk-off double
McGowan: 2-4, R
Gargiulo: 2-R single
Gubitosi: RBI singleNo. 1 ESM will face No. 2 East Islip on Monday pic.twitter.com/rvUPS23TCb
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 24, 2025
Sometimes ignorance is bliss in the game of baseball.
The Eastport-South Manor Sharks have fielded a young team all season, and somehow they continue to find ways to win. Both their wins in the Suffolk Class AA playoffs have come via walk-off, with the latest one on Friday night by sophomore Mason Gatchalian who ripped a double to right-center field to propel the top-seeded Sharks (22-0) to a 7-6 win in a winner’s bracket game against No. 4 East Hampton.
“We’re so young, I don’t think the kids understand the moment,” said longtime head coach Jim McGowan. “They find a way to win. It’s a different guy every time, whether it’s on the mound or on defense or getting the big hit. They’ve done it a number of different ways and really it’s been a different guy every time. To be so young and we’ve been banged up – it’s been really, really exciting.”
Early on, East Hampton jumped all over ESM’s starting pitcher, Memphis Lanier. A solo shot by Mason Miles, was followed by a two-run shot by Victoreddy Aguero to give them a 3-0 lead.
After being held scoreless in the bottom of the first, ESM’s bats came to life in a prolonged second inning in which they scored six runs. Two came via balks, one by an E4 on a play at the plate, two came on single down the left field line by Thomas Gargiulo and another on an RBI single by Joey Gubitosi.
East Hampton’s starter Trevor Meehan, who put himself on the map earlier this season with back-to-back no-hitters, was able to settle down after that rough second inning. He fired scoreless innings in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings to keep his team in the game.
Mason Miles struck again with a solo shot off the foul pole in left field to cut the deficit to 6-4 and East Hampton would later tie it in the fourth inning on a sac fly bay by Hudson Beckman and an RBI single by Hudson Meyer.
Credit to ESM’s freshman pitcher Gabe Sikora who came into a messy spot with nobody out in the 4th inning and pitched the next four innings without allowing a run.
The game would stay tied going into the seventh inning, which is exactly where Eastport-South Manor has thrived this season. After the leadoff batter was retired, Sikora drew a one-out walk to bring up Gatchalian. The rest, as they say, is history. Gatchalian’s line drive to right center allowed Sikora the opportunity to score. With just one out, McGowan was visibly giving him the stop sign at third, but Sikora made the risky decision to run through it. The relay throw was mishandled by the pitcher which allowed him to dive in safely.
“I think I saw him put up the stop sign,” said Gatchalian. “I was thinking two off the bat, I knew the people behind me would get the job done,” said Gatchalian. When asked about the nerves in the dugout when the team was down three runs, he said, “That’s nothing for us – only three runs, we’ve come back from so much more.” He is correct, as they were able to overcame an 8-3 deficit in the sixth inning against Hills West on Tuesday night.
Sikora spoke confidently after the game, saying, “No nerves at all. I knew I was going to go out there and throw strikes.”
Their next challenge will be their biggest one to date. On Monday, they will host No. 2 East Islip (20-2), who entered today’s game with a 0.92 ERA and will likely face League IV MVP Thomas Costarelli, who is 7-0 with a 0.25 ERA and 84 Ks over 56 innings. He will be attending East Tennessee State University.
“If we keep hitting like we have and pitching, we got this.”
They will get to enjoy the win this weekend before the big match up.
