Commack
Craig Pihlkar Fires Gem, Commack Defeats Schlesinger & Sachem East 5-3
Final: Commack 5, Sachem East 3 WP: Craig Pihlkar S: Jack Cascone pic.twitter.com/o2Q4uLSgXM — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 13, 2021 On a difficulty scale, it doesn’t get much tougher than winning a road game against a lefty flamethrower that’s a likely MLB Draft pick. But when it comes to being afraid or intimidated, that’s just simply not going to happen to Commack. The Cougars pulled off a wildly-impressive 5-3 win against Sachem East with Miami-commit Rafe Schlesinger on the bump throwing gas. Commack, who captured the 2017 County Championship in a similarly difficult match up at West Islip, had their own ace on the mound. With 6’5 RHP UCONN-commit Craig Pihlkar, they can play with anyone. The big righty earned the win, throwing 6 IP, allowing six hi...
Commack Poised For a Postseason Run in 2021
by Eric Belyea Commack baseball is one of the most touted programs on Long Island, and that does not change going into the 2021 shortened season. Head coach Bryan Bonin, a former CW Post Pioneer, is heading into his fourth season with Commack, after leading the Cougars to a Suffolk County championship in his first season. Although this year has been different in terms of preparation, Bonin has been able to put trust in his upperclassmen leadership when getting physically prepared for the season; “the kids have taken it upon themselves to work out together a few times a week. We do meet via Zoom but as far as getting physically ready they have been working really hard and mirroring workouts that the guys who have been around for a while are familiar with”, Bonin explains. With the COVID-1...
Where Are They Now: Mike Belfiore
USA Today Sports Growing up in the 1990s during the peak of the Yankee dynasty, Commack native Mike Belfiore was fortunate enough to be in attendance for not one, but two World Series clinching games. Like many New Yorkers, he became infatuated with the game after watching homegrown players like Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte transform into icons. “It became sort of an annual thing going to the playoff games at Yankeee Stadium with my dad,” said Belfiore. Little did he know at the time, that he would later be in the big leagues with an AL East division rival of the New York Yankees during the final season of Mariano Rivera‘s career. The early years Belfiore was always talented for his age, but he credits the time spent with private instructors for taking his game to the ne...
Commack, Miller Place and Southampton Capture Town of Brookhaven Championship
Going into the season, Commack knew they were capable of winning a championship. Although it was only a six-game sample size, they proved that during the Town of Brookhaven Varsity Wood Bat Tournament. The Cougars went 6-0 – including a 2-0 victory in the championship against Lindenhurst. Oneonta-commit Drew Vincent was outstanding. The senior fired a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts, allowing just two singles in a masterpiece of an outing. It was his second win of the tournament, he also won on Wednesday night. Although he was throwing goose eggs inning-after-inning, his counterpart Brandon Arcone of Lindenhurst was equally masterful for much of the game. Commack was scoreless entering the bottom of the fifth inning but Vinny Pagano led off with a walk. Jack Cascone followed...
OTD: Commack Captures First County Championship Since 1997
Commack does it!! They are the 2017 Suffolk Class AA Champions ! Commack 8, West Islip 6 WP: Jake Krzemienski pic.twitter.com/00g1i7pt9V — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 31, 2017 One week before the season, the Commack baseball team didn’t know who their Head Coach would be. This was a team coming off a 14-win season and a playoff run with arguably the best staff on Long Island. Three months later they are celebrating their first Suffolk County Class AA championship since 1997 after their 8-6 back-and-forth victory over the reigning Long Island Champion West Islip Lions. Senior Pete Theodorellis, who tied the game up at 6-6 in the sixth inning with a double off the fence–and fired 8.2 IP yesterday–never wavered in his optimism with this team. Even during that period of confusion ...
OTD: Matt Franco’s Three-Run Home Run Sends Ward Melville Into Semifinals
Matt Franco hit a go-ahead 3-R Home Run to send Ward Melville into the semifinals with an 8-6 victory over Commack. Anthony Pascale hit a grand slam to open up a 5-0 lead early in the game @MuddyLocker1 pic.twitter.com/1RQnKsLwsf — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 25, 2019 It’s tough to have a more competitive, intense baseball game between two Suffolk County powerhouses than the one we just saw at Ward Melville to send the Patriots into the Class AA semifinals next week. Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth, right fielder Matt Franco crushed a game-winning three-run home run to left center field to give Ward Melville an 8-6 lead, one that they would not relinquish. The game was the definition of back-and-forth as the Patriots jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run b...
OTD: Tim McHugh’s Grand Slam Caps Comeback Victory for Commack
McHugh on his heroics and the big victory for Commack pic.twitter.com/iPsFTVnEsG — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) April 9, 2018 If there was one person to avoid seeing with the bases loaded, two-outs protecting a one-run lead it’s TCU-commit, Tim McHugh, who happens to have the best raw power of any player on Long Island. The 6’4″ slugger took the first pitch for a ball before connecting and launching a go-ahead grand slam over the center field wall to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 6-3 lead for the Commack Cougars, who entered the inning trailing 3-1 with only two hits in the game. Reliever Drew Vincent came on to protect the lead and record the victory with a 1-2-3 seventh inning. The game started out with both pitchers dominating. Jake Krzemienski started for the Cougars and Joey Savin...
Commack Is Motivated To Avenge Last Season’s Postseason Exit
by Joseph Langan Joe Pellegrino gives Commack a 6-5 lead in the fifth ! pic.twitter.com/BtXySTeslf — Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 25, 2019 Despite another successful season, Commack had their title hopes dashed late in the postseason at the hands of a rival. In a hard fought 8-6 battle against Ward Melville, Commack was knocked out of the playoffs in a contentious back-and-forth affair. Coach Bonin and his team are out for revenge this season, knowing that last season’s abrupt ending doesn’t show how good Commack really is. “The way our season ended last year, who we lost to and when we lost to them is still something myself, Coach Salmon and the returning guys haven’t gotten over.” With the bad taste left in his mouth Coach Bonin is pushing his players to be the best v...
Get To Know Jack Reardon
When the topic of underrated players come up, there’s a million names you could go with–from those in small schools to someone returning from season-ending injury to players that get overlooked by other high-profile teammates. One name that always comes up is Jack Reardon. The Commack senior transferred from St. Anthony’s, where he was sometimes overshadowed by Division-I teammates to a school with…other Division-I teammates. Even so, rival coaches always point out his bat speed as reason to avoid him in a big spot. He announced his verbal commitment to New Haven last week, adding to the list of Commack players that will go on to play at great collegiate programs. I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say… Can you talk us through you...
The Story of Pete Harnisch: From Commack HS to MLB All Star
When the 1988 Baltimore Orioles set a record for futility by starting the season with a record of 0-21, they were searching for ways to sell tickets by the end of the season. They called on one of their three first round picks–the only one that actually signed with the team–from the previous season. It was a right-handed pitcher out of Fordham University that just finished a decorated collegiate career with a record of 21-3 and a 2.29 ERA. His name was Pete Harnisch, a graduate of Commack HS. “It was a different era,” said Harnisch who made his debut just over a year after signing a pro contract. “They kept moving me up because I was pitching well. It’s not like today where they move guys along slowly so they don’t lose their confidence. The big le...
Busy Week of College Commitments
With the conclusion of the summer season typically comes a flurry of college commitments as players decide where they’d like to continue their baseball playing career and college coaches ready to solidify their next crop of incoming players. This year is no different as the passed weak has featured several players announcing their verbal commitments. Here’s how it went down. Gavin McAlonie (Miller Place) – Molloy College Quick Hit: Raised his stock significantly beginning with his 4-for-4 performance against Shoreham-Wading River back in late April when Aidan Crowley was going for his fourth consecutive no-hitter in front of a huge crowd. Since then, he proved he is an impact player every step of the way especially with his in-game performances with Body Armor. He also th...
