Archbold Impresses Big League Scouts, but Cougars Clipped by MacArthur

With scouts from the majors at the game to take a look at both Kennedy and MacArthur's starting pitchers, you knew this was going to be a pitching duel as long as these two remained in the game.

However, four walked batters in the 10th inning for the Cougars led to five runs for the MacArthur Generals, and a 6-1 loss at Kennedy High School on Monday afternoon.

Senior pitchers Kevin Archbold and Frankie Vanderka were the reasons all of these scouts came to the game, however, and even with the added pressure of the professionals eyes on them, they didn't disappoint.

"This was one of the biggest games of my high school career," said Archbold, Kennedy's star hurler.  "I just had to stay focused and remember what I had to do well."

The sixth inning was by far Archbold's biggest test during the game. It began with a batter reaching on an error, followed by a walk and a hit batter. With the bases loaded, he got a player to pop out, struck another out looking, and got the third to ground out to him, to keep the score at 1-1.

"I was a little nervous, but then I just settled down, and remembered what I had to do,"  Archbold said.  "Remembered how to throw strikes."

The next inning, which turned out to be Archbold's last, a man was on second when the Generals third baseman Sal Sanquini hit a single to right field. The runner tried to score on the play, but was gunned down by Justin Harrison, and the score still remained tied, 1-1.

Both teams were able to get runners in into scoring position, but neither team was able to push that winning run across the plate.

"It was amazing to see two great pitchers go at it in this game," Kennedy coach Eric Passman said.  "It was fantastic."

The Cougars best chance was in the bottom of the ninth, when they had runners on first and third with only one out. Unfortunately for them, Vanderka was still in the game, and struck out the next two batters, ending the inning.

In the 10th inning, MacArthur only recorded three hits. However those hits combined with four walks led to five runs. The Generals put Jesse Tuozzo in to close the game out in the bottom half of the inning, and he did so in style, striking out the side.

"It's disheartening but you have to give Frankie Vanderka credit as well," Passman said.  "He pitched a great game too. These games with two great pitchers, somebody has to lose."

The Cougars will look to rebound from the loss when they visit East Meadow High School today for a 4:30 p.m. first pitch.