Sports

Baseball: Ospreys strike early with Carroll’s grand slam

At 6-foot-6, Matt Carroll of the North Fork Ospreys looks the part of a big-time slugger. He certainly played that role well in a 14-3 defeat of the Westhampton Aviators on Wednesday night.

The rising sophomore from San Jose State went 4 for 5 with a grand slam and five runs batted in to lead the Ospreys to a rout of Westhampton and into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League’s Hampton Division.

Carroll’s blast, his first homer since the season opener, was part of a six-run first inning, which also included a bases-loaded hit by pitch absorbed by Ryan Brown and a bases-loaded walk by Ian Vazquez. North Fork added four more runs in the next two innings and another four-spot in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run double by Chris Hueth.

Nick Narodowy became the second pitcher in the division this spring to earn his second victory. He gave up four hits and one run over seven innings while striking out eight.

Ray Ortega smacked his first home run of the summer, a two-run shot in the top of the ninth. Aviator lefty Jordan Patterson was impressive in his debut, fanning five in two innings.