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Zarzicki’s Clutch Hit, Frers’ Relief Gem Lift Top-Seeded Kings Park Past Wildcats

by Nolan Locke

Top-seeded Kings Park defeated No. 4  Shoreham-Wading River, 3-1, in a Suffolk County Class A playoff pitching duel, outlasting multiple rain delays, thunderstorms and a game suspension.

Clear afternoon skies gave way to a dark storm front over Kings Park High School’s Craig Biggio Field on Wednesday evening, just as the top-seeded Kingsmen and No. 4 Wildcats began their playoff matchup.

Each team sent its respective ace to toe the rubber as the visiting Shoreham-Wading River’s flame-throwing southpaw sophomore Connor Dietz would face off against Kings Park’s junior University of Connecticut commit Everett Zarzicki.

Following a 30-minute rain delay, Zarzicki got the game underway with a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first. Dietz took the mound and began his day with a quick groundout and strikeout before Zarzicki reached base for Kings Park on a dropped third strike. Designated hitter Dylan Frers would then single, putting runners on first and second before a towering fly-ball to Wildcats right fielder Maxwell Boerum would retire the side.

The top of the second saw the rain pick up again as Shoreham-Wading River found themselves with an opportunity for some offense after a one-out walk by third baseman Andrew Manesis. In the pouring rain with two outs, catcher Alex Clareen roped a single to open the scoring and put the Wildcats in front 1-0.

Following another 30-minute rain delay, Kings Park quickly threatened the Wildcats‘ lead in the bottom of the second after a leadoff hit by pitch and a stolen base by right fielder Frankie Buffolino. A sacrifice bunt then moved Buffolino over to third before he swiped home plate on a missed bunt attempt to bring the sides level. A single by centerfielder Chris Schor kept the rally going and provided the Kingsmen with yet another scoring opportunity. Second baseman Ryan Landau would then slap a single to shallow left field, sending Schor rounding third, as Shoreham-Wading River left fielder Colton Sisler fired a perfect strike to Clareen to cut the runner down at home and keep the game tied up.

Before Zarzicki could take the mound again for the top of the third, umpires had to suspend the game as yet another storm front rolled in, forcing the intense matchup to be postponed until the next day, ending both Zarzicki’s and Dietz’s outings prematurely.

The game resumed the following day at Middle Country Park with two new pitchers taking the mound, relieving Zarzicki and Dietz, respectively.

For Kings Park, up stepped right-hander Frers. For Shoreham-Wading River, right-handed senior Owen Crowley took the mound.

In the top of the 3rd, Frers would begin his work as a long reliever with a 1-2-3 inning, quickly retiring the Wildcats.

Crowley would look to do the same, but gave up a leadoff walk to Zarzicki before getting a quick lineout followed by a strikeout. Buffolino would then single, putting two runners on, but Crowley was able to limit the damage, escaping the jam.

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Frers would go to work again in the top of the fourth, striking out the first batter he faced and retiring the side with another 1-2-3 inning behind some solid Kings Park defense.

The bottom of the fourth began with a hit by pitch putting first baseman Joseph Rossi on first before a sacrifice bunt by Schor would put the runner on second. Shoreham-Wading River found itself fighting runners on base again. Crowley got the first out he was looking for on a Landau lineout, but a bunt by shortstop Kyle Nustad resulted in a throwing error, moving the runner to third and allowing Nustad to reach first safely. With runners at the corners and two outs, Zarzicki would come up to the plate, lacing an opposite-field base-clearing two-run single to right, putting the Kingsmen up 3-1.

“I was just trying to get something into the outfield,” said Zarzicki. “They were playing pretty deep, and we ended up capitalizing on it.”

Kings Park Head Coach Andrew Abreu had high praise for Zarzicki following his go ahead base hit.

“He’s the guy you want up at the plate when there’s two outs and runners in scoring position for that big hit,” said Abreu.

From there, Kings Park cruised to victory behind a brilliant relief appearance from Frers. The right-hander fired five hitless innings, racking up six strikeouts while allowing just a single baserunner.

“Dylan [Frers] today was special,” said Abreu. “He had everything, he had his fastball command, his secondary stuff, and he was able to throw whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.”

With the Wildcats put away, the Kingsmen immediately shift their focus to a highly anticipated showdown against reigning Long Island Class A champions Sayville.​

“We gotta play good baseball,” said Abreu. “We know what we’re up against. They can swing it, they have some good arms, so we just gotta prepare and see what happens.”

The Kingsmen will look to secure their next playoff win on Monday against No. 2 seed Sayville.