Sports

Baseball: Once again, McFarland flirts with perfection

For the second time in a week, Pat McFarland was almost perfect.

Last Wednesday the junior righthander lost a perfect game with two outs in the seventh inning. He finished his magnificent performance in an 8-0 triumph over Smithtown Christian with a one-hitter.

On Monday afternoon, McFarland gave up a hit to The Stony Brook School’s leadoff man, Seamus Scanlon, in the top of the first before shutting down the Bears the rest of the way in a 24-0 home win in a Suffolk County League VIII game. Only one other Bear reached base, Nat Smith, on an error in the fourth inning.

The victory clinched a Class C playoff spot for the First Settlers (10-0, 10-0), who still have 10 games remaining in the regular season.

McFarland struck out eight and walked none in an overwhelming performance over Stony Brook (1-9, 1-9). After he recorded his first three outs on fly balls to the outfield, the ball never left the infield the rest of the game.

Following a scoreless bottom of the first, the Settlers scored at least a run in the remaining five innings, including seven in the second. That rally was keyed by center fielder Dylan Clausen’s two-out, three-run double.

Catcher Shane Zimmer collected four hits and five runs batted in. First baseman Greg Gehring also finished with four hits and added three RBIs. Leadoff hitter Noah Mina was on base five times, driving in three runs and scoring as many.

After the score reached 10-0 in the third inning, the Settlers went base to base on their hits and stopped stealing.

Southold will host the Bears again Tuesday before traveling to Stony Brook to complete the three-game series on Thursday.