Baseball: Mattituck keeps its postseason alive

SUFFOLK COUNTY CLASS B TOURNAMENT | TUCKERS 13, PANTHERS 5

The Mattituck baseball team survives to play another day.

In a game in which every Tucker reached base safely, Mattituck eliminated Babylon as it recorded a 13-5 home victory in the Suffolk County Class B double-elimination tournament on Monday.

The Tuckers (14-8) will play the winner of Monday’s game between Center Moriches and Southampton on Wednesday.

Senior right-hander Ryan Finger took a 9-0 lead and a no-hitter into the fifth inning before the Panthers (11-11) reached him and reliever Chris Dwyer for four runs. In Mattituck’s previous playoff game, Cameron Burt hurled a no-hitter, but lost to Center Moriches, 1-0.

The Tuckers solved right-hander Matt Finelli for three runs in the second inning, two in the third and four in the fourth and never looked back.

Left fielder James Nish led the Tuckers with three runs batted in, including a pair of run-scoring doubles. His twin brother, Ian Nish, also delivered a pair of RBI doubles. Dwyer, who started the game at second base, belted his first home run of the season and scored another run.

Catcher Brian Pelan, who was 3 for 3 with a walk, also drove in three runs and threw out two runners trying to steal in the second and third innings.