Red Devils Take Game One

What began as a pitcher's duel in Plainedge Wednesday turned into a demonstration of the Red Devils power as the host team was able to defeat the Glen Cove High Big Red, 7-3, and take the first of a three game quarterfinal set in the Nassau County Class A playoffs.

Starters Peter Cappiello and Anthony Graziano each pitched two shutout innings before running into trouble in the third. Small-ball tactics dominated Big Red's half of the frame as John Bellock hit a lead-off single followed by a perfect bunt single from Tom Montefusco and a sacrifice bunt from Kevin Martinez. Consecutive singles from Jabbar Morales and Chris Theodorou brought in two runs for Glen Cove. 

After taking a two run lead in the third inning, Glen Cove's ace Cappiello gave up four runs in the bottom of the inning. Cappiello retired the first seven batters he faced before giving up a one out single. The Red Devils then worked the bases loaded with two outs. Trailing 2-0, Nick Cassio worked a walk to bring in the first run of the day for Plainedge. Joe Pugliese would then rip a deep line drive into right field that was dropped by a diving Martinez allowing three runs to score.

"'Pete' has had their number for the past couple years," said Big Red coach Carmine Rotolo, whose starter gave up seven runs on six hits while walking two and striking out four. "I guess they were just due."

After the dropped ball in the outfield, Glen Cove did not look the same out in the field or at the plate. 

"We've been on a high for a while now and haven't really had to deal with being low," Rotolo said, adding that Big Red had won six of its last seven games including a big playoff victory over second seeded Clarke on May 15. "We kind of resorted back to 'Dead Man's Syndrome' after that."

The momentum swung further in the direction of the Red Devils after Graziano pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth. Then, in the home half of the inning, Cassio delivered the knockout blow with a three-run homer off Cappielo to push Plainedge's lead to 7-2. Graziano finished the day pitching a full seven innings giving up three runs on seven hits walking one and striking out four.

Glen Cove would push a run across in the sixth thanks to an RBI single by Michael Ianetta but that would be all as Big Red would go in order again in the top of the seventh.

Plainedge takes a 1-0 series lead in the best of three quarterfinals, with game two to be played Thursday at Glen Cove at 4:30 p.m.