Tuckers hang tough against one of county’s top pitchers

Well before the first pitch was thrown Tuesday afternoon, Mattituck realized it would be an uphill battle. The Tuckers were facing Center Moriches senior right-hander Joey Hiller, one of the best pitchers in Suffolk County.

“He’s always been like that,” Mattituck senior pitcher/shortstop Ben Voegel said. “This is the fourth year seeing him. He’s always got his stuff. He always hits the corners. He’s got his off speed. We know to expect every time.”

Hiller lived up to expectations, frustrating the Tuckers (2-6, 2-6) by striking out 12, allowing four hits and walking one in the Red Devils’ 12-2 home win in League VII.

The 5-foot-11, 168-pound hurler has been difficult to beat this year for Center Moriches (7-1, 7-1). He has struck out 31 batters in 21 innings while pitching three complete games. He has surrendered only three runs, including one in a 1-0 home defeat to Bayport-Blue Point, which scored the winning run in the last inning on April 2.

“I think he’s definitely the best pitcher we’ve seen this year,” third baseman-pitcher Nick Crew said. Hiller was unhittable in the early going, retiring the first 10 batters while fanning seven. Hiller and battery mate Brayden Hromada will attend Quinnipiac University this fall.

“He’s their stud,” Mattituck head coach Dan O’Sullivan said. “They have been battery mates since eighth grade on varsity. I look at the lineup and some of the names that we saw today, it’s like they just been here forever. They’ve been here four or five years. They’re gamers, they’re awesome. It’s not fun to be against them.”

Hiller set the tone in the first inning, striking out the side -shortstop/third baseman Michael Buckley, Voegel and second baseman Trey Hansen. The Tuckers got to Hiller with three hits and two runs in the fourth inning. Voegel led off with an infield single, went to third on Hansen’s single to left and scored on a fielder’s choice. Tyler Brown came around on Chew’s single to right.

“The first time around, I saw everything that he had, so I was able to time him up a lot better and get a good read on his pitches,” Hansen said of his hit.

Added Voegel: “It was definitely a bit of a boost for the team. We picked up two runs, avoided a no-hitter and a shutout.”Voegel, the Mattituck starting pitcher, endured a tough game. The right-hander allowed 10 runs in the early innings, before Crew relieved him for the final four frames.

“Definitely, that’s not my best stuff,” said Voegel, who moved to shortstop. “It’s not me.”

Center Moriches scored three runs in the first inning and broke the game openwith seven more in the second. Voegel wasn’t helped as Mattituck committed three errors.

First baseman Max Rayburn had a double and a triple, one RBI, and scored three times. Hromada drove in two runs in the second inning. Hiller helped his cause with two singles and two RBIs. Every Center Moriches player reached base safely at least once. Designated hitter Danny Gilroy walked four times, once with the bases loaded, and scored a run.

The Tuckers had some encouraging moments.

They produced an excellent relay from right field to nail Richie Roberts trying to stretch a hit into a double in the second. They also produced a 4-6-3 double play to end a threat in the sixth.

O’Sullivan noted that he has a young team. He had two freshmen in the starting lineup — catcher Brayden Kruk and left fielder Charlie Kalish, who had the Tuckers’ other hit in his varsity debut.

“It’s funny. Last week, I’m listening to the Mets broadcast, and they brought up perseverance. I’ve made that kind of my word this year,” O’Sullivan said. “We lost 12 seniors from last year. There are only two kids that started on last year’s team. There are two or three others that were rotational guys that got some innings in the field and at bat.

“We’re just trying to preach perseverance and just talk about baseball, how every day is a new day, and the fact that we’re playing again tomorrow,” he continued. “It’s just don’t die, don’t give up, like we did today. We were down early, but don’t ever stop fighting, which is something I’m very appreciative of. They just always persevere. They’ll give everything they’ve got until the last out.”