Hometown boy returns to play with North Fork Ospreys

While growing up in Southold, Brendan Duffy watched the North Fork Ospreys perform at Cochran Park. “It was always awesome coming to games,” he said. “It was a great time. I looked up to some of the dudes that came before me.”

On Friday night, June 13, he returned to the baseball diamond in Peconic, not as a spectator but as an Ospreys player in their Hampton Collegiate Baseball League season opener against the Shelter Island Bucks. Now, it’s Duffy’s turn to provide some inspiration to the next generation. “I’m so excited to be a part of it,” Duffy said after the Ospreys dropped a 11-1 decision.

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Franklin Marshall College sophomore Vincent Mariniello slides safely into second base for the Ospreys. (Credit: Bill Landon) Pace University senior Christian Rodriguez fires from the mound for the Ospreys. (Credit: Bill Landon) University of Maryland at Baltimore Nick Pratt with the play at second base. (Credit: Bill Landon) Mount St. Mary University senior Thomas Matuszewski with the play at second base. (Credit: Bill Landon) Anthony Equale from Houston Texas dives into second base for the Ospreys. (Credit: Bill Landon) Southold native Brendan Duffy, a senior at SUNY Oneonta, takes a cut for the Ospreys. (Credit: Bill Landon) A break in the action. (Credit: Bill Landon) University of Massachusetts Amherst sophomore Kevin Schnupp from behind the plate. (Credit: Bill Landon) Pace University sophomore Rocco Cimino rips the ball straight away for the Ospreys. (Credit Bill Landon) Washington University Junior Anthony Equale takes a cut for the Ospreys. (Credit: Bill Landon)

The game was called in the top of the seventh inning after first baseman John Gannon’s second home run of the evening, a solo shot over the left-center field fence, put the 10-run mercy rule into effect. But even in defeat, Duffy enjoyed returning to Cochran Park, which is a five-minute drive from his home. “It was so nice to be home,” he said. “We’ve got a great group of guys. I’m really excited to see what we can do this year.”

In three plate appearances as the Ospreys’ designated hitter, Duffy was hit by a pitch in the first and struck out twice. “Today wasn’t my day, but I’m looking to make adjustments to come back better tomorrow,” he said.

Duffy, who will be a senior at Oneonta State this fall, and his teammates will have plenty of time to improve. The Ospreys are scheduled to play 40 games through July 22, before the playoffs.

After joining the Southold High team as an eighth-grader, Duffy was a two-time All-Suffolk County selection and team MVP. At Oneonta, he has steadily improved. As a freshman, he hit .167 in 12 at-bats but rose to .250 as a sophomore. This past spring Duffy found his groove, hitting .294, smashing seven homers and adding 26 RBIs in 40 games.

“It’s really just staying dedicated and focused and not losing my way,” he said. “Just working hard and trying to come back better year after year.”

Duffy was the best friend of former Southold standout baseball player Dylan Newman, who passed away in September 2022 after a five-year battle with cancer. Dylan’s father, Todd, is the Ospreys’ general manager.

“Him being a part of this this year means a lot to us,” manager Vinnie Morelli said. “Tried to get him last year. It just kind of wasn’t the right timing. He wanted to focus on some other things before he went back to school. So, this year, we’re just really excited.

“He’s a kid who could really bang the baseball around. When he hits his BP rounds, he probably hits two to three out. Balls just fly all over the yard. Also, being a hometown kid and being somebody who’s extremely connected to a lot of the things that we do for the community, with the Dylan Newman Forever 5 name around it.”

That is a foundation that honors Newman that makes charitable donations, financial support to families in need with children who have cancer, and scholarships for North Fork high school seniors.

The Ospreys took the lead on Thomas Matuszewski’s (Mount St. Mary’s) run-scoring single in the first inning, but Shelter Island tied it on a bases-loaded walk by left-hander Christian Rodriguez (Pace) in the third.

The Bucks went ahead with a three-run fourth, highlighted by Gannon’s first homer, a two-run blast to left-center. They added six runs in the sixth, featuring a pair of two-run singles by Gannon (5 RBIs) and Alex Barrist.

Shelter Island right-hander Dylan Joseph hurled six innings, allowing one hit, striking out six and walking one.

“It’s the guys learning each other a little bit,” Morelli said. “It was a snowball of mistakes. We had some errors. We had some walks that led to some big things. Everybody in the league is going to be good. It’s going to be a matter of who makes the least mistakes. They only made one. We made a lot more than one, and they were able to take advantage of it. So, kudos to those guys.”

The loss occurred on Morelli’s 26th birthday, but he said that it did not spoil his day.

“I don’t do big productions like that,” he added. “I kind of keep it quiet. If somebody hears about it, then I acknowledge it. But obviously I appreciate all the birthday wishes.”