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Kontorinis Does It All In Bethpage’s Lopsided Win over Division

by Anthony DiCocco

Behind Zach Kontorinis’ performance with his bat and glove, the Bethpage Golden Eagles dug themselves out of an early hole to snap their four-game skid with a blowout win.

Coming into Tuesday’s matchup against Division, the Golden Eagles had already dropped four straight games, including three Conference AA-3 games that were decided by one run, and things looked bleak once again in the top of the first inning. After Aiden Susi shot a two-run double into the right-center field gap, Jack Yonkman yanked a single into right that seemed destined to put Bethpage in a 3-0 hole before it even stepped into the batter’s box.

However, Kontorinis made sure that the Blue Dragons’ momentum stopped there. The junior scooped up the ball and fired a perfect strike to the plate, allowing Jack Lapertosa to slap a tag on Susi to end the inning and keep the score at 2-0.

From there, the Golden Eagles batted around and sent 12 men to the dish during an eight-run bottom of the first, helping propel it to a 15-5, walk-off win via the mercy rule. 

WIth runners at the corners and one out in the bottom of the frame, Sean Lynn pulled a sacrifice fly to left field, cutting the Blue Dragons’ lead in half to start the offensive outburst. Will Lynn kept the inning going with a single and during the ensuing at-bat, Lapertosa crushed the first pitch he saw over the right-field wall for a three-run homer to put Bethpage ahead 4-2.

Though Tyler Scarry induced a potential inning-ending groundball, Division committed an error on the play to prolong the frame. The Blue Dragons eventually loaded the bases for Liam Walters, who recorded his second single of the first to drive in two more runs.

It was only fitting for Kontorinis to cap off the big inning, as he ripped a double into the left-field corner to pick up two runs batted in (RBI).

After Luke McCaffrey picked up an RBI in the third, Kontorinis doubled again to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. With Kontorinis in scoring position, Sean Lynn singled him home to make it 10-2.

Scarry led off the fifth with a solo shot, before Luca Hafner took Will Lynn deep for an opposite-field, two-run blast later in the inning to pull Division within 10-5.

Nonetheless, the Golden Eagles put the hammer down in the bottom of the stanza to ensure there would be no comeback. Kontorinis tallied his third double of the day to plate a runner from first base and Tim Conlon followed by bringing him home with an RBI knock into center field.

Bethpage eventually loaded the bases for Lapertosa, who was plunked to force in a run. Max D’Orazio worked a walk to force in another run during the next at-bat, which set the stage for Antonio Porcelli to trot to first base with a walk-off free pass after building a 10-run advantage in the fifth.

Along with his outfield assist and three doubles, Kontorinis finished the game with three RBIs. Sean Lynn and Walters each drove in a pair of runs, while Lapertosa plated four runners. McCaffrey, D’Orazio, Porcelli and Conlon all knocked in a run apiece.

On top of Hafner and Susi’s big blows, Frank Maiorano went 2-for-3 with a double for Division.

Will Lynn notched four strikeouts on the mound across 4 ⅔ innings and picked up two hits with a walk while at the plate. In addition to his homer, Scarry recorded one punch out while battling through 4 ⅔ frames.

With the victory, Bethpage improved to 7-8 overall and moved above the .500 mark in league play at 6-5. The Blue Dragons fell to 8-5 overall and 5-4 against fellow Conference AA-3 opponents as their three-game winning streak came to an end.

The two sides will continue their three-game series in Levittown, N.Y., on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.