Sports
Raiders Coast to 11-0 win
Mercy rule invoked after eight-run third inning lifts Patchogue-Medford over East Islip.
After tying the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against East Islip, Patchogue-Medford dominated the Redmen in the second game, coasting to an 11-0 win.
The game only lasted until East Islip was retired in the fourth inning before the "Mercy Rule" was invoked. The rule ends the game if one team is leading by 10 after four innings.
Including the six innings from the first game, Patchogue-Medford ended the day by not allowing a run in their last 10 innings.
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"We saw a lot of good stuff today," said coach Tony Frascogna.
Raiders starting pitcher Vin Volpe allowed no runs in his four innings of work, while striking out six.
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"I was throwing my slider a lot today on the first pitch and I was getting it over," Volpe said about the importance of staying ahead of the hitters.
Patchogue-Medford scored two runs in the bottom of the first when first baseman Tom Rubinstein, who had an RBI double in the first game, tripled home third baseman Matt Gajewski. Rubinstein came home on an infield hit by catcher Peter Agnetti.
The Raiders added a run in the bottom of the second and then exploded for eight more in the bottom of the third. The highlight of the inning was a grand slam by Agnetti, who launched a towering drive over the left field fence.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Agnetti's home run was that it was hit with a wooden bat. Practically all of the players in high school use aluminum bats, which are known to produce harder hits than wooden bats do.
"I didn't think it was out. I never hit a home run with a wooden bat before," Agnetti said. "I kind of got under it."
The Raiders then retired East Islip in the top of the fourth inning, highlighted by a running catch by center fielder David Tornetta.
The "Mercy Rule" win limited Volpe from having to pitch further into the game.
"I didn't want him to pitch a full game because he pitched a little bit the other day," said Frascogna.
The win evened Patchogue-Medford's record to 4-4-1. The next game is July 6 at 4 p.m. at William Floyd.
