Playoffs: Island Trees Advances in Walk-Off Fashion to End Lynbrook's Season

The Lynbrook Owls had their season cut short after Island Trees rallied for a four-run seventh inning to advance to its fifth consecutive Class A semifinals appearance.

The 13-seeded Owls (14-10) defeated North Shore and Glen Cove before eventually losing in the third and deciding game on the road against the third-seeded Bulldogs (19-4), 7-6.

“We were very fortunate to win this game and this series. I said in the end what a nice story this would make and I call it ‘Island Trees magic’, because we have a winning tradition," said Island Trees head coach Joe D’Auria. "We have a tenth man playing for us and he was definitely out there today."

In the opening game at Island Trees, Chris Cutrone pitched a complete game, giving up six hits and one run while striking out seven to lead the Bulldogs to a 2-1 win and the series lead. Mike Jeannetti, who went 1-for-2 with an RBI, scored the decisive run on a balk from Lynbrook pitcher Alex Weingarten in the bottom of the fourth inning.

In the following game at Lynbrook, Will Norris was the top performer on the mound for the Owls. Norris pitched into extras to go eight innings, giving up no earned runs and allowing just four hits while striking out four batters. Lynbrook tied the series with a 3-2 win after Mike Milillo hit a walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to score Anthony Mackie from third base.

In the third game on Saturday, Island Trees took an early lead at their home field after an RBI single by Dom Rucci off of pitcher Danny Grossi in the bottom of the first. Lynbrook tied the game at 1-1 after Jack Pender, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, hit a single up the middle off of Matt Bowen to score Milillo.

Island Trees took a 2-1 lead when Jeannetti singled home Rucci in the third inning. Lynbrook turned the game in its favor when Brian Bilello connected on a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning to give the Owls a 4-2 lead. After the Bulldogs added another run in the bottom half of the inning and the Owls matched with a run of their own in the top of the sixth, it set up a dramatic final inning with the away team leading 5-3.

In the top of the seventh, Vinny Sharkey hit a solo home run to extend Lynbrook’s lead to 6-3. However, in the bottom of the seventh, relief pitcher Spencer Kirsch ran into trouble as Island Trees loaded up the bases with one out.

James Ragusa hit an RBI single to cut the lead to two and bring Kyle Nigro to the plate with the bases loaded again. The center fielder belted a shot to right center field and had the ball drop just in front of the wall, allowing all three runs to come around to score and giving Island Trees a comeback win of its own and a spot in the semifinals.

“We had to come out strong and had to know we were going to beat them,” Nigro said. “The main point was getting it done. We’re ready to play and go get whoever is next.”

Before its most recent run, Lynbrook had not been in the playoffs since 2006, where it was also eliminated in the third round. Despite the last-inning loss, the run has given Lynbrook a solid reputation for future years.

“We’ve been playing on guts and fumes for the last week and you’ve got to give [Island Trees] credit. That’s a good club that beat us and they did what they had to do,” said Lynbrook head coach Al Marrazzo. “My team is a good group of kids who work really hard and have gotten better and better ever since their freshman years. Losing like this is hard and difficult for both them and me.”

Island Trees will play fourth-seeded Garden City at home to start the Class A semifinals in a best-of-three series on Monday at 4:30 p.m. The winner of the series will play the winner of the Plainedge and Levittown Division series for the Class A Nassau County championship at SUNY Farmingdale. 

Box Score (Game 3 on May 21):

WP: C.Cutrone (IT)

LP: S.Kirsch (L)

HR: V.Sharkey (L)