Stunning comeback for Falcons

Already mired in two-game slide after winning its first eight out of the gate, Valley Stream South was faced with a seemingly insurmountable hole against Conference ABC-III rival Sewanhaka on May 6.

The Falcons, down 10 runs before their leadoff hitter, Eric Gulabchand, picked up his bat, and trailing by six in the seventh inning, rallied for a wild 15-14 victory to keep their playoff hopes alive. Ryan Scrietta’s three-run single tied it, and Kevin Benitez followed with a single to score pinch-runner Dylan DiLuccio to win it.

“Only in baseball,” coach Ken Ward said after VSS improved to 9-2 in conference games. “It’s not like other sports where time can run out on you. We scratched back a little here and there and took advantage of their control issues.

“It was one of the craziest games I can remember,” he added, “and we had to have it to stay in the playoff race.”

Terence Meaney, who drove in five runs, highlighted a three-run bottom of the first with a home run to lift the Falcons’ spirits. “The idea coming into the bottom of the first was to get a couple back and win every inning thereafter,” Ward said. “But we didn’t score again until the fourth.”

Ryan Flynn’s two-run single in the fourth made it 12-5, but Ward said the hill looked too high to climb after the Indians added two more runs in the sixth. “Down nine with six outs left isn’t a good place to be,” Ward said.

Meaney swatted a two-run single in the sixth, and the seventh resembled a merry-go-round. After Andrew Hess got the rally started with a one-out single, Rob Oliver and Gulabchand drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Hess scored when Flynn was hit by a pitch, and walks to Meaney and John Donnelly plated Oliver and Gulabchand, respectively. Trailing 14-11 with two outs, Scrietta ripped a line drive into the gap in right-center, scoring Flynn, Meaney and Donnelly to tie it. Running for Scrietta, DiLuccio promptly stole second base to get into scoring position and proved the winning run when Benitez blooped a hit into short left field.

“We gave up two leads in two days to Great Neck North, but we came back with something to celebrate,” Ward said. 

Gulabchand, Anthony Romano and Andrew Deckel kept the Falcons (12-3 overall) within striking range with quality relief work. The 15 runs were a season high, though Ward has gotten consistent production from the bats and arms.

Meaney is putting together an All-County resume with a .457 batting average, 21 RBI, 23 runs and a 5-0 record on the mound with a 1.75 ERA. Donnelly has won three of four decisions and has 48 strikeouts in 35 innings. Scrietta has emerged behind the plate and leads the team with 22 RBI. Romano is hitting at a .390 clip, and Oliver’s at .356.