Wantagh wins third straight L.I. title

While Wantagh’s boasted its share of star power during a dominant three-year run on the baseball diamond, its depth was once again on display in last Saturday’s Long Island Class A championship game.

Seniors Ethan Rockitter and Ryan Murphy came through with RBI singles in the top of the sixth inning to lift the Warriors to a 4-2 victory over Rocky Point at St. Joseph’s College Athletic Complex in Patchogue for their third straight L.I. title and fifth overall. Senior southpaw Anthony Fontana didn’t allow an earned run while scattering four hits and three walks and striking out six, including a pair in the seventh.

“We’ve got another special group and nobody wants the season to end,” said Wantagh coach Keith Sachs, who is assisted by Mike Ninivaggi. “I think no matter how it ends, win or lose, it’s going to be emotional,” he added. “We’ve got a lot of guys who’ve been on varsity four years.” 

The Warriors (24-2) will take a 14-game win streak into the state semifinals this Friday at Binghamton University. They were state runners-up last spring after winning it all in 2016. Fontana will get the nod with seniors Matthew Reich or Patrick Willix available to start Saturday’s championship game should they advance.

Fontana needed 84 pitches to get through a tough Rocky Point lineup. He’s 22-1 in his high school career. “He’s just a winner,” Sachs said. “He battled back any time he fell behind and struck out their best hitter three times. He doesn’t throw 90, but he pounds the zone and throws three different pitches for strikes. It’s impossible to guess what he’s going to throw no matter what the count.”

Wantagh took the lead against Eagles starter Joe Grillo in the first when Anthony Vano was hit by a pitch with one out and scored on a Willix groundout. After Rocky Point (20-6) tied it in the second, the Warriors regained the lead in their next at-bat when senior Anthony D’Onofrio singled, stole second, went to third on a deep flyout by Fontana and scored on a Willix sacrifice fly. It was 2-2 after three innings and stayed that way until the sixth.

Willix continued his highly productive day at the plate with a leadoff double in the sixth off the fence in right-center. Rockitter followed with the eventual game-winning hit. Murphy then provided the insurance with a two-out single to score junior Dylan Scott, who pinch ran for Rockitter.

“Rocky Point’s defense did a great job all day and I felt we were due to find some holes,” Sachs said.