Malverne cools off Valley Stream South

Malverne baseball was simply dominant in its rubber match against Valley Stream South, as the host Mules won 11-1 in five innings on April 21.
The game ball from this comprehensive win went to Yadier Tavarez, who not only got on base in both of his at-bats, but also was nearly untouchable on the mound, ceding a single run in what was a complete game.
Malverne coach Joe Dunn knew this type of performance was possible for Tavares, it just came down to him finding the zone. “Yadier was pumping the zone throwing strikes,” Dunn said. “He didn’t walk anyone. We told him before the game, if you just throw strikes then we are going to win the game.”
Lucky for Tavares and the Mules as a whole, his pitching performance was complemented with plenty of run support. Every starter for the Mules got on base at least once, which is more impressive considering only a few kids hit more than twice due to the condensed game as a result of a 10-run lead after five innings.
The big inning came in the fourth, where the Mules scored six runs. Tavares led off with a walk, and then Parker Mercado, Liam Flynn, Matt Merkel, Matt McKeon and Keondre Greene each reached base safely. No single player had a shot or hit more impressive than the other, but the group’s comprehensive ability to make contact and get on base was the catalyst for the monster inning. Greene also had the ‘walk off’ hit in the fifth inning, as this RBI knock clinched the run margin needed for a mercy rule.

The Mules improved to 6-2 and two days earlier handed the Falcons their first defeat of 2022. Merkel picked up the win on the mound and helped his own cause by going 4-for-5 at the plate in a 15-5 road victory. Mercado drove in four runs and Greene went 3-for-3.
Funny enough, the first two games of this series were mirror images of each other but with different results.
Valley Stream South took the opening game of the series, 15-4, its ninth straight win to start the season, on April 18. Ryan Rivera was the winning pitcher and Nico Alvarez (three RBIs), Mikey Hernandez (four runs) and Peter Greif (four runs) provided the bulk of the offense.
“In the first game, we took advantage of walks and misplays and then the next day the tide turned and then they took  the next two games, “VSS coach Rich Hess said.
Valley Stream South is still a solid 9-2 as well as a scholar-athlete club. “We have had some growing pains, and it’s due to youth and inexperience but the kids are fantastic,” Hess said. “They come to practice and are ready to work. We are just having an inexperience issue.”
Hernandez did have one of the hardest hit balls of the series finale, as his double in the fifth brought home Nick Parisi for its lone run. Hess also noted that Hernandez “wreaks havoc on the basepaths.”