Hewlett turning the corner

Hewlett has played .500 baseball since a difficult 0-3-1 start to the Nassau Conference A-II campaign and last week won a series for the second time this month, taking two of three against an improved Glen Cove club.

“We were looking for the sweep but couldn’t make it happen,” Bulldogs coach Andy DeBernardo said after last Friday’s 5-4 road loss in the series finale. “It was a crazy back-and-forth game,” he added. “We have to put it behind us and be content with the series win. We’re still very much in playoff contention.”

Hewlett (4-7-1) led 1-0 and 2-1 last Friday but fell behind by two runs after the Big Red scored once in the bottom of the fourth and twice in the fifth. It stayed 4-2 until the top of the seventh when the Bulldogs rallied in their final turn at-bat, as junior Antonio Edigio singled home seniors Matt Kohn and Chris Rodriguez (.395 batting average) to tie it. Glen Cove reliever Matt Graf escaped further damage and recorded the final out with runners on the corners.

Graf ended the game with a walk-off dash to the plate following a grounder back to the mound. Hewlett pitcher Matt Barry looked Graf back to third several times before recording the out at first. “Matt did exactly what he was supposed to do,” DeBernardo explained. “Their kid just made a great play to barely beat the throw home. It was getting dark and I don’t think they had anything to lose. It probably would’ve ended in a tie otherwise.”

The Bulldogs were going for the sweep after taking each of the first two games by an identical score of 6-2.

The offense staked Kohn a 3-run lead in the first and he kept the Big Red off balance most of the way in a road victory on April 18. He scattered four hits and four walks and struck out six. Senior Matt Kim (team-leading .440 average) doubled in two runs (Rodriguez and sophomore Anthony Isayev) and scored on a sacrifice fly by Barry to provide the early cushion. Dillon Ristano added two-run single in the fourth after Rodriguez and Kim pulled off a double steal.

“We don’t have as much power as we’ve had in recent years, but we’re being aggressive at the plate and on the bases,” DeBernardo said. “We might not be drawing as many walks as we’d like, but I’m good with them swinging.”

Kim pitched the series opener at home April 17 and was in command all day, striking out 12 and walking none. He gave up five hits. Hewlett trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the third when Kohn followed a run-scoring wild pitch with a two-run double to give it the lead for good. Isayev had six steals in the series, giving him 19 on the year.

The Bulldogs have a bye this week and can clinch a playoff spot by taking at least two games against Jericho next week. They’ll scrimmage New Hyde Park, Clarke and Bethpage and also face Long Beach in a non-league game to keep sharp, DeBernardo said.