Island Trees Grabs Game One of Quarterfinal Series

With Island Trees’ two top pitchers Mike Jeannetti and Matt Bowen unable to work in game one of  Wednesday’s Nassau County Class A quarterfinal series at Wantagh, Mike Ahrens knew he needed to step up his game. The senior righty did just that tossing a complete-game seven-hitter in a 3-1 win that puts the Bulldogs one win away from the semifinals.

“It was a battle all the way through,” said Ahrens, who was not in the Island Trees starting rotation at the beginning of the season.

Ahrens was penciled in as the starter after Jeannetti and Bowen racked up plenty of innings in the Bulldogs' playoff loss at top-seeded Clarke Saturday and its victory over crosstown Levittown rival Division in an elimination game Monday. Wantagh avoided having to play an elimination game thanks to a 1-0 win over Garden City Saturday on a complete-game effort from Greg Welch.

“We threw him out there because we knew our other two pitchers were tired and he did the job,” said Island Trees head coach Joe D’Auria. “He was really hitting his spots.”

Second-seeded Wantagh (18-3) will now need a victory at eighth-seeded Island Trees (14-6) in game two of the quarterfinal series later today at 4:30 p.m. to keep its season alive. A Warrior win at Island Trees’ home field would set up a third and deciding game back at Wantagh High School on Saturday.

Wantagh starting pitcher Kevin Specht also threw solid game on the mound Wednesday giving up just five hits. However trailing 1-0, Island Trees was able to break through for two runs in the top of the sixth with the eventual game-winner coming on a Steve Connelly RBI ground out with a runner on third. Bowen tied the game when he smacked an RBI single to right field.

“He pitched a great game,” said Wantagh head coach Keith Sachs of Specht’s performance. “We should have been able to put more runs on the board and give him more support.”

Wantagh’s lone run game on an RBI single from third baseman Ryan Cacchioli in the bottom of the fourth.

Island Trees was able to add to its lead in the top of the seventh when Specht hit Jeannetti with the bases loaded to make it 3-1. Wantagh brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Ahrens was able to get Adam Aponte to fly out to Tyler Byrne in right field to end the game and put the Warriors’’ season on the brink.