Pearl River Sports: Baseball, Softball Face Tough Tests

The Pearl River baseball team enter's today's Kayser-Bello game against rival Tappan Zee with an 8-3-1 record with an improving offense supporting strong pitching and defense. 

"We're on a nice little roll," Pearl River Head Coach Bruce Miler said. "We just beat East Ramapo and Scarsdale. Both have been struggling a bit, but we took care of business like we need to. We've been steady."

Before that came a split in two games with Nyack and victories over North Rockland and Suffern at Provident Bank Park.

"The kids are starting to believe in themselves and each other," Miller siad. 

After that Suffern game, an impressive 6-1 victory, Miller noted that the team would use one of the same infielders in the next contest. Senior John Doherty and junior Mike Murphy are splitting the work at first when they don't pitch. Junior Kevin Considine plays third base when he isn't on the mound and Dan Campbell and Conor Ocasal share second base. That leaves senior shortstop Shane Ocasal as the one constant.

"Shane Ocasal has done a very nice job at short for us," Milelr said.

Miller said before the season that the Pirates would rely on pitching and defense.

"That's been the mantra," Miller said. "We've been talking to the kids about it all year. The hitting we knew would get better as the year went on. Right now, all facets of the game seem to be working for us."

Tappan Zee will test that today in the first of three regular-season meetings between the teams.  

The softball team also faces a tough challenge at home 4:30 p.m. today against Eastchester, the top-ranked team in Class A in this week's New York Sportswriter's Association state rankings. 

Thursday's Results

• Golf:   -- Kevin Deegan shot the low score, 38, for Pearl River (8-2) at Blue Hill Golf Course. 

Upcoming Schedule

Friday's Events

• Tennis: Pearl River at Nanuet, 4 p.m.
• Track and Field: Pearl River girls compete in Lion Invitational at Somers, 4:15 p.m.
• Baseball: Pearl River vs. Tappan Zee in Kayser/Bello Memorial at Veterans Park, 4:30 p.m.
• Softball: Eastchester at Pearl River, 4:30 p.m.
• Track and Field: Pearl River girls compete in Night of 3200s at Holmdel, NJ at 6 p.m.

Saturday's Events

• Track and Field: Pearl River boys and girls competes in Crusader Relays at Monroe Woodbury, 9 a.m.
• Softball: Pearl River at Harrison, 4:30 p.m.

Share Sports Results, Pictures on Patch

Coaches, parents and other followers of Pearl River athletics, please send scores and information to ryan.buncher@patch.com or upload your pictures directly to stories about games as they are posted on Pearl River Patch. 

Don't forget this can include youth sports as well as updates on local athletes as they compete on the college level.