First-place Ospreys take four of five

GARRET MEADE FILE PHOTO
With the aid of players like shortstop Ryan Brockett, the Ospreys have been making plays in the field.

So far, so good.

Shawn Epidendio, the manager of the first-place North Fork Ospreys, said his team is doing all the little things it takes to be successful in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League. Despite Tuesday night’s 7-3 loss to the Westhampton Aviators at Jean W. Cochran Park in Peconic, the Ospreys won four out of five games this past week and their record stood at 9-4.

“We’re playing well,” Epidendio said. “Our pitching has been shutting the other teams down and our defense has been solid. We’re making all the routine plays and a couple of spectacular plays, too.”

In the loss to the Aviators (6-6), ironically, some uncharacteristic sloppy fielding in the eighth inning by the Ospreys led to five Westhampton runs. Epidendio said “a couple of misplays opened the door for them and they took advantage.”

Mike Czenszek took the loss for the Ospreys. Billy Ferriter and Sebastian Grazziani both had two hits for the Ospreys.

The Ospreys got a pair of superb pitching performances in their 3-1 and 6-0 doubleheader sweep over the Sag Harbor Whalers at Mashashimuet Park in Sag Harbor on Saturday.

Derek Lamacchia earned the win in the first game for the Ospreys, as he went six innings and allowed only one run on two hits. Eric Williams hurled a scoreless inning to get the save.

The Ospreys broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth and added an insurance run in the seventh. Williams, Kurt Schlangen and Grazziani all had run-scoring singles. Grazziani has been the Ospreys’ most consistent hitter this season.

James Stone pitched a three-hit shutout in the second game, as the Ospreys scored four in the fifth and two more in the seventh. Stone struck out three. He is 2-0 and has not allowed an earned run in 15 innings. “He throws four pitches for strikes,” Epidendio said. “He has very good control.”

Nick Lingvay was the hitting star for the Ospreys, as he went 3 for 4, with three runs batted in. Dan Muscatello had a pair of hits and Andrew Harris lined an RBI single.

Anthony Mannuccia was the losing pitcher for Sag Harbor (4-7).

The Ospreys beat the Southampton Breakers, 5-1, last Thursday in Peconic. It was a close game until the fifth when the Ospreys took full advantage of some sloppy fielding by the Breakers (5-6) to take the lead. Brendan O’Brien and Schlangen both had two hits and an RBI. Kevin Gottlieb got the win.

On Friday in Riverhead, the Ospreys snapped a 1-1 tie after seven innings, with four runs in the eighth on the way to a 7-3 victory over the Tomcats. Ryan Lee paced the Ospreys with three hits and three RBI. Schlangen, Lingvay, Robert Kelly and Muscatello all had two hits. Muscatello drove in two runs.

Brian Tardif pitched the final three innings to get the win for the Ospreys. Aaron Snyder gave up one run over six innings, but got a no decision.

Tyler Brandt, Eric Romano and Isaac Rodriguez all had two hits for the Tomcats (5-6) while Cody Slaughter smacked a solo home run. Stephen Oswald took the loss for the Tomcats.

It was another good week for the Ospreys. “We’re really coming together,” Epidendio said. “We’re playing hard. Everything is clicking and falling into place.”