BY ADAM RONIS
Not only are those who suit up in baseball uniforms superstitious, but so are the fans. It didn't matter who West Islip sent up to the plate in the later innings of the game, they all hit the ball hard for base hits. That prompted one West Islip fan to say it felt like the gum he was chewing was like asphalt or cement. Since the team he was rooting for was pounding out hit after hit, he didn't want to dispose of the gum. Hey, whatever works.
West Islip opened a three-game series in a battle for first place with a 13-0 road win over North Babylon in a Suffolk League III game. The story was West Islip ace righthander Nick Tropeano, who threw a two-hitter, walked none and struck out 10 on three days rest. He was outstanding and breezed through the game with a fastball and changeup. For more on him, check my story in the paper tomorrow.
The offense was clicking for West Islip as it pounded out 15 hits. Even when the pinch hitters were sent up in the sixth and seventh innings, they came though. The one thing that stood out was the way West Islip played fundamental ball in the third to score a run. Kenneth DiDonna was hit by a pitch to lead off.
Stephen Smith sacrificed him to second and DiDonna then stole third. Tom Moran then hit a grounder to second base to score DiDonna for a 2-0 lead. DiDonna, the ninth place hitter, also laid down a perfect bunt between first and home in the fourth to score Dan Vignola to give West Islip a 4-0 lead.
"It was a team effort," West Islip coach Steve Mileti said. "Everybody got the job done."
West Islip hopes that continues throughtout the season and into the postseason where it hasn't done well in recent seasons. West Islip lost to North Babylon in the first round last season, but has a senior-laden team.
"We all hit the ball well," catcher Patrick Cantwell said. "It's a big momentum boost, but we still have two more games left in the series."