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Gilroy’s Standout Performance Powers Center Moriches Past Oyster Bay in Long Island Championship

by Nolan Locke

Center Moriches captured the Long Island Class B championship with a 4-0 victory over Oyster Bay, powered by a dominant complete game shutout from starter Dan Gilroy.

On a sunny Saturday, the 19-3 Center Moriches Red Devils faced off against the 19-5 Oyster Bay Baymen with both sides looking to punch their ticket to the state semifinals in Binghamton.

The Red Devils sent University of New Haven-bound Gilroy to the mound, while sophomore Nick Von Bargen took the bump for the Baymen.

Gilroy began his day with a statement, striking out left fielder Chris Hall en route to a 1-2-3 inning in his opening frame. In the bottom of the first, the Center Moriches offense made a statement of their own, taking a quick 1-0 lead as Gilroy helped his own cause, knocking in JT Bonventre on a RBI single to right field.​

In the second, Gilroy continued to cruise, striking out two for a shutdown 1-2-3 inning. The Red Devils came back to the dish looking to add to their lead, but a clean inning from Von Bargen kept the deficit at 1-0.

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After both starters traded scoreless frames in the third, the top of the fourth saw Oyster Bay break up Gilroy’s three no-hit innings as shortstop Chase Lordi floated a bloop single that found some green in shallow right field. That was all for the Baymen, however, as Gilroy continued to shine on the mound.

In the bottom of the fourth, Gilroy came to the plate again for the Red Devils and found the outfield grass for a second time, roping a double to right-center field to kick off the frame. Designated hitter Nico Libretti followed with a single to plate Gilroy, extending the Center Moriches lead to 2-0, before an RBI single from left fielder David Spina capped the rally to put up a crooked number and increase the lead to 3-0.

The fifth saw Gilroy continue to dominate. Despite allowing a single to catcher Alex Karpavicious, the Red Devils’ ace slammed the door to turn in another scoreless frame and blank the Baymen yet again.

Center Moriches added to their lead once again in the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff double by Bonventre—his second hit of the day—ended Von Bargen’s day on the hill, and a sacrifice fly from Gilroy drove in the runner to put the Red Devils up 4-0.

From there, Gilroy continued to shove, racking up 11 strikeouts over seven brilliant, shutout innings while surrendering just two hits to completely silence Oyster Bay and secure the Long Island Class B Championship for Center Moriches.

A major factor in Gilroy’s ability to shut down the Baymen’s offense was the strong command of his pitches, as he surrendered zero walks over his seven innings of work.

“Most of the time I was just attacking [going] right at them,” said Gilroy. “It’s one thing you need to do because if you don’t start ahead, you most of the time lose a batter.”

Gilroy also praised his defense, adding, “it helps when even at your worst, you’re still able to get an out.”

Head Coach Paul Gibson echoed the importance of that aggressive approach on the mound.

“We’re big on first-pitch strikes, first outs of the inning,” Gibson stated. “You know things are a lot easier in baseball when you get those two things.”

Despite a strong victory and capturing the Long Island Class B Championship, both Gilroy and Gibson were very clear that this is just a step towards their end goal, a state championship.

“I’m really super proud of these guys,” said Gibson,  “and couldn’t be happier that this group of guys is getting to experience going up to Binghamton. But the job’s not done for us yet, and hopefully we can finish it off.”