South Side drops tough series

Last week’s Nassau Conference A-II baseball series between South Side and Plainedge lived up to all the hype, with two games decided by a run and the finale by two runs.

The Cyclones, who carried an impressive seven-game winning streak into the series and were coming off their bye week, failed to hold a three-run lead in the opener, barely held on to a five-run cushion to win the middle game, and were blanked for the first time this spring in the finale. South Side and Plainedge are both 9-3, while Division sits atop the conference at 12-0.

“We went into the series looking to take two out of three,” South Side coach Tom Smith said. “It was a series of what-ifs. Plainedge is an excellent team and we have a great rivalry. The way our starting pitchers performed, we should’ve been able to come away with more than one game.

“It’s OK, we’re still playing good ball and have a ways to go,” he added. “The guys know we have two important series left against Manhasset and Division.”

As Andrew Misiaszek has all season, the senior lefty toed the rubber in the opening games of the series and produced a quality start. Though he allowed a season-high eight hits, including the first extra-base hit against him in two years, Misiaszek constantly worked out of trouble in the April 27 road outing and stranded eight baserunners. He struck out 11 and left with a three-run lead with one out in the bottom of the seventh and the tying run at the plate. However, the Red Devils rallied for a stunning 4-3 victory. Plainedge’s Nolan Matthews capped a two-out rally with a run-scoring single off the fence in right-center to win it.

“The bus ride back was the quietest in my nine years coaching at South Side,” Smith said. “The guys knew it was a game that got away.”

Tom Mormondo had two RBIs for South Side. Misiaszek entered this week’s action with a record of 4-0, a 0.20 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings.

The Cyclones bounced back the next day at Barasch Field to beat Plainedge, 7-6, thanks in large part to Vinny Frankini’s second-inning grand slam and a strong outing on the mound by TJ Avgerinos. “We came out firing on all cylinders, scoring five runs in the second inning,” Smith said. “They battled to get back into the game, but we were able to slam the door shut.”

Sal Miranda, who was saddled with the loss 24 hours earlier, struck out the last batter with bases loaded to save it. Avgerinos struck out 11 and allowed only one earned run in six innings.

The series finale on April 30 featured a phenomenal pitcher’s duel between South Side’s Brendan Condon and the Red Devils’ Anthony Pugliese. The only runs in Plainedge’s 2-0 victory came in the bottom of the sixth. “They played outstanding defense and capitalized on a few big hits,” Smith said. “Brendan pitched a great game and only threw 71 pitches.”