Aquebogue man is Long Island Ducks’ new right fielder

A County Champion

Driving in his car on a Sunday afternoon 13 years after Sabatella’s high school graduation, former Shoreham-Wading River baseball coach Sal Mignano had no trouble recalling his former player’s signature moment.

“It’s right up there,” Mignano said, knowing full well the rich history of the program he oversaw for more than 30 years and all the incredible feats he was measuring it against.

It was May 25, 2002, and Sabatella, the ace of the Wildcats’ rotation that year, was pitching the Suffolk County Class B championship game against Half Hollow Hills West on just two days’ rest.

It didn’t take long for the 6-foot-5-inch righthander to realize he was in command on the mound at St. Joseph’s College that afternoon. He threw his first 10 pitches for strikes and would go on to strike out nine batters and walk just one in the contest.

When Sabatella took the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning, he did so with a 1-0 shutout and no-hit bid intact. Shoreham-Wading River’s only run had come on a dropped third strike.

Hills West catcher Jason Klein ended any chance of Sabatella hurling a no-hitter when he hit a ground ball up the middle and managed to beat the throw of Wildcats shortstop Joe Sorrentino, who made a diving stop.

After Klein stole second, Sabatella had to find a second gear to preserve the shutout and the county title. He also caught a break when the following batter, Dan Hans, was called for interference on a swinging strike three as he fell over the catcher, who was attempting to throw out Klein stealing third.

SWR left fielder Shawn Hough caught a fly ball for the final out and it was official: Sabatella had hurled a one-hit shutout for the team’s first championship since 1990.

While it might have stung for a while that he came up just shy of the no-no, he’s certainly grown more proud of the accomplishment over time.

“The reporter who was covering the game went up to me afterward and said, ‘You just ruined my story,’ ” Sabatella recalled with a smile. “I think I was just happy we won a county championship game, 1-0. And I’m not a pitcher, so looking back on it, it’s still pretty cool.”

A three-year starter and an All-County and All-Long Island player his senior year at Shoreham-Wading River, Sabatella batted over .400 in his high school career.

Mignano said that while he was always an above -average player for his age group, he really blossomed in his junior and senior seasons. Big and athletic, he also had other intangibles that set him apart.

“He was an extremely hard-working and positive kid,” Mignano said. “And he had a great passion for the game. He’s certainly one of our premier all-time players.”

That was solidified last summer when, in his final days running the program, Mignano retired Sabatella’s number, 17.

Playing at the time for the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association and having already used up leave time for a wedding, Sabatella couldn’t attend the ceremony, where his father gave a speech on his behalf.

Seeing his number hang alongside those of former Major Leaguer Keith Osik and other Wildcat legends like Erik Strovink on the fence at his former high school is an honor Sabatella appreciates deeply.

“It’s probably the most proud I’ve ever been in my career, because of who’s up there with me,” he said. “It’s nice to be a part of something like that.”