South baseball loses three of four games
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville East's Nick Kanutsu beat the tag of Williamsville South's Dan Lynch at first base during the teams' ECIC Division II game at South on Thursday, May 3. East won 6-5. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Moving from ECIC Division III to Division II combined with some new faces in the lineup this season has not boded as well as Williamsville South would have liked. At 4-4 in ECIC II and 4-5 overall, the defending Section VI Class A champions are struggling as of late, including three losses out of four games last week.

South lost at Iroquois, 5-0, on Tuesday, May 1 and home games with Hamburg, 6-3, and Williamsville East, 6-5, on Wednesday, May 2 and Thursday, May 3, respectively. The Billies closed out the week on Friday, May 4 with a 2-1 victory in eight innings over Iroquois.

The team might be struggling for wins but South coach Dave Delisanti believes they are coming together as a team, especially against East.

"We talk about having each other's back and that was the game we actually were," Delisanti said.

Williamsville South's Alex Walkowski touches a base to elude the tag of Williamsville East's Mike Ferguson. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

East led 5-1 after five innings, four of the runs coming unearned by what Delisanti called "eight mistakes that caused them to score or caused us not to score."

"One of our players was picked off and another was hit with the ball on a line drive while running the bases," he said as examples. "(East's Mark Guenther) scored the winning run (in the top of the seventh) when we dropped a force out at first."

The Billies chipped away at the lead to score four runs in the last three innings. Two runs came off a two-out single from sophomore JV call-up Tom LiSacchi in the fifth. LiSacchi finished 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. South had the tying run on first base in the seventh but was picked off at first.

Scott Steimer hit 2 for 3 and scored a run.

Frank Pieri picked up the loss on the mound South, striking out four and allowing two earned runs.

East coach Jerry Gasz said his team banged out 10 hits with Nick Kanutsu, Mike Ferguson, Eric Charlton, Chris Schiumo and Zach Miller with two hits each.

Gasz said Flames junior right-hander Josh Dimarco got credit for the win but needed help from Miller, who earned the save. The duo allowed only six hits.

The Billies did not play well defensively against Iroquois the first time and Hamburg.

Dan Lynch struck out seven and allowed all five runs against Iroquois but Delisanti said the team made a lot of mistakes in the field behind him.

"We tried to pick someone off at third and we didn't get the out. Another time we threw to second and the infielder dropped the ball. We shot ourselves in the foot," said Delisanti.

South only had four hits against Iroquois and never advanced a runner past second base.

The Billies played the same type of game defensively versus Hamburg. Three of sophomore Matt Minervini's six runs allowed were unearned. It was Minervini's varsity debut.

"We did not play good defense behind him and did not make the routine plays like we should," said Delisanti.

Minervini allowed eight hits and walked only two. He also struck out the side in the first inning.

"For someone who has never started before, he pitched a good game," said Delisanti. "He kept the ball down and forced several batters into groundouts ."

South had a hit in every inning except the fourth when they had two. They also left the bases loaded in the second and fourth and two runners on in the fifth.

Alex Walkowski (double, run, RBI) and Shane Hurley (3 for 3, walk, run) led South's offense.

By the time South faced Iroquois again, the team was in desperate need of a win and managed to pick up the victory.

"It was good for the team's confidence," said Delisanti. "It kind of made you forget about the other games."

Minervini, pinch running for Hurley, scored on a Greg Reed base hit in the second to move South ahead 1-0. In the eighth with two outs, Lynch singled, stole second, and scored after Walkowski hit a two-ball, two-strike base hit into right field.

Hurley was 2 for 3.

Steimer pitched 7.1 innings and allowed five hits and struck out eight. Lynch struck out two batters for the win. Delisanti also lauded the defensive work of Andy Esposito, center field, Nick Needham, right field, and Minervini, shortstop.

South played at West Seneca East on Monday, May 7 but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. The Billies host Amherst and Lake Shore on Wednesday, May 9 and Thursday, May 10 before traveling to the Pepsi Center for a rematch with Williamsville East on Friday, May 11. All games are 4:30 p.m. starts.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com