Clean Sweep: Colts Baseball Powers its Way to 20-2 Victory

The Calhoun Colts baseball team completed a two-game sweep of the visiting East Meadow Jets yesterday with a decisive 20-2 victory.

The Colts combined a plethora of offense with a solid pitching performance, and that allowed them to cruise to the easy win.

"They battled on the mound, and I was very happy with our defense," Calhoun coach Mike Marino said. "We also hit the ball very well today. It was nice to see."

The game started a little bit on the rough side for Calhoun and starting pitcher Joe Christopher. After walking the number three hitter with two outs and nobody on, Christopher allowed consecutive RBI doubles to Kyle Berger and Mike Favuzzi, and that gave the Jets an early 2-0 lead.

"I definitely didn't have my best stuff to start the game," Christopher said. "I was missing my spots, but it's nice when the offense can pick you up."

The Colts (3-2, 2-2) bats did just that. They started the game off with six straight hits, the last of which was a three-run homer by Thomas Viverito, who went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs on the afternoon.

"It felt great to get that big hit." Viverito said. "He threw a fastball on the inner half, and I was able to turn on it. He put it right in my sweet spot."

Calhoun would add three more runs to give Christopher an 8-2 lead after one, and it was smooth sailing for the Calhoun starter after that.

"He was really on his game after the tough first," Frank Trimarco, who went 4-for-4, said. "We all know we can get two runs back for him, and he is definitely a pitcher we are all comfortable going to battle with."

As things continued to go swimmingly for Calhoun, East Meadow (2-3, 1-3) fell apart. Whether it was the lackluster pitching, the constant watching of third strikes or the five errors they committed in the field, coach Ken Sicoli was not happy.

"It was men against boys out there," Sicoli said. "We just can't win when we play like that."

East Meadow starting pitcher Matt Schoenfeld was impressed with Calhoun's ability to deliver.

"They can hit the baseball," Schoenfeld said. "They are extremely underrated and it would be a mistake to look past them."

Calhoun would add four runs in the second, two in the third on a Christopher two-run homer, another four in the fifth and finally two more in the sixth to seal the win.

The Colts now head into a home-and-home against rival Mepham, with a game today at 4:30 p.m. at Calhoun and a Thursday contest at Mepham.  Trimarco said his team couldn't be more excited.

"We are ready for them," he said of the Pirates. "It should be one heck of a series."