Another Win Keeps Glen Cove Baseball Rolling

In a game with gigantic playoff implications, Glen Cove High's baseball team came out flat against New Hyde Park Monday, allowing four runs in the top of first inning.

But Big Red overcame the rocky start to win 11-6 and move to 5-11 in the league. The team is now in better contention for a double-elimination playoff spot. The top eight teams, school officials explained, get the privilege of losing twice, while the bottom eight can only lose one game.

Senior pitcher Peter Cappiello said he didn't have his best performance Monday, and the first inning – which featured a four-pitch walk to begin the game – showed that.

"Pete's 'B' stuff is just as good as a lot of people's 'A' stuff," Coach Carmine Rotolo said. "For him, it wasn't a good outing, but if it was a different year, he would've folded on the mound [after the first inning]."

Cappiello finished the complete game win with 10 strikeouts, four walks, and he gave up five earned runs on five hits.

"I just didn't feel anything coming out right," Cappiello said. "I was opening up too early, and I was out of sync."

But the Le Moyne College-bound pitcher picked himself and the team up in the bottom of the first as he roped a two-RBI single on the way to a three-run inning for Glen Cove.

"It was a relief off my shoulders that we were going to battle back," Cappiello said.

Big Red calmed down on defense, and got to work at the plate. Glen Cove plated five more runs in the third inning. Sophomore Chris Theodorou got it going with one of his two hard-hit singles, and scored on a high chopping grounder by Cappiello.

Theodorou, Big Red coaches said, has gone from a surprise slugging sophomore to a defined cornerstone of the team this season.

"It's a great story," Rotolo said. "Chris has a great attitude, and I'll work with him this summer."

The sophomore said it feels great to contribute to the team and bat as high up in the lineup as he is.

"I just wait for the first-pitch fastball and relax," Theodorou said. "Up in the lineup, you can do more. You can get RBIs and help out."

The third-inning onslaught continued, as with the bases loaded and two outs, John Bellock earned a walk. Tom Montefusco and Bobby MacDonald followed and both produced runs.

"We broke it open. We're taking people's hearts and that's OK because we've been heartbroken a lot," Rotolo said.

Richie Maccarone capped the scoring in the bottom of the sixth with his fifth home run of the season. But not before New Hyde Park freshman Fran Terrero smashed head-first into the chain-linked fence with the sun in his eyes as he tried to catch the ball.

A gasp and a hush fell over the park, and Maccarone stopped his trot at second base as coaches from both teams rushed out to check on Terrero.

"[He's] tough. He stayed down for a second, then jumped back up," Rotolo said. Terrero stayed in the game and didn't appear to be injured.

Glen Cove's fifth win of the season – and third in the last four league games – puts them in prime position to make the top eight in the playoffs, which start Saturday.

Big Red is scheduled to travel to Bethpage Tuesday, and return home for the regular season finale as they finish the series with Bethpage.