Monumental Comeback Falls Short for Glen Cove

Trailing the Trojans 9-0 Tuesday afternoon, the mood in the Big Red dugout oozed frustration. Slammed bats and tossed helmets highlighted the first four innings.

"There was some frustration on their faces and in their attitude," coach Carmine Rotolo said after the game.

And they could've given up – but they didn't. Glen Cove battled back from the deep hole to draw within two runs with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the seventh. 

But like many of their heartbreaking losses this season, Glen Cove couldn't push across any more runs and lost to Garden City 9-7.

"It would've been a cool comeback – 9-0. They're a good team," said Glen Cove's Michael Iannetta.

The fifth inning proved pivotal for the Big Red. Iannetta put Glen Cove on the board when he ribbed an RBI single to left field. Glen Cove's rally continued as Peter Cappiello hit a hard grounder through the left side that plated a pair of runs.

"I just jumped on the first pitch I liked," said Iannetta, who finished 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Glen Cove continued to crawl back into the game as Richie Maccarone added an RBI single and John Bellock drove in a run on a ground out.

"It was pretty cool that we had a chance at coming back," Iannetta said. "Everyone started getting a little bit more into the game than when it was 9-0."

The five runs in the fifth came off Garden City relievers. The Trojans' starter, Jimmy Duff, silenced Glen Cove for four scoreless innings, but with a 9-0 lead, Garden City coach Rich Smith pulled his starter. Duff finished with five strikeouts.

"He was keeping us off balance. He wasn't overpowering," Rotolo said. "Goes to show you don't have to be overpowering at this level."

The Big Red's comeback would have happened without the shutdown pitching performance by junior Frankie Gaudio. Guadio didn't allow a run in 2 1/3 innings of work.

"I'm very happy with his performance. He might find himself in the starting rotation," Rotolo said. "He held a good team down."

Glen Cove fell behind early in the game as Garden City jumped on Kevin Martinez in the first inning with four runs fueled by a pair of doubles off the outfield wall. The big inning ended Martinez's afternoon, as Rotolo pulled him after one inning.

"We can't afford to get down early," Rotolo said. "Martinez is struggling mentally. He's putting a lot of pressure on himself out there."

The two-run loss follows a heart-breaking defeat at Garden City on Monday. A walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh sunk the Big Red 3-2, who at one point led 2-1 as late as the sixth inning.

Now the Big Red stand at 1-7 on the season – with several losses by one and two runs. Rotolo said he stresses the life lesson of this season to his team.

"We just got to keep playing as a team and practicing hard," he said. "We just can't make a lot of mistakes."