DePaolis gets promotion, hurls gem for Sutherland

By PAUL GOTHAM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Credit Tyler DePaolis with the ability to take advantage of opportunity.

In a story that will play out more than a few times in local high school baseball over the coming days, DePaolis was promoted to the varsity squad earlier in the day to help with pitching responsibilities as the Pittsford Sutherland Knights navigate a jam-packed schedule.

Making his first varsity start, the sophomore hurler responded with seven masterful innings in the nightcap as Sutherland swept Greece Athena (9-1/5-2) in Monroe County Division-3 action at the University of Rochester, Monday night.

“We needed that,” said first-year Sutherland head coach Brandon DeRosa. “It’s a good way to start off the week. We got seven games, so coming in and taking two to start is a good way to get the week going.”

DePaolis allowed a run in the first on two hits and a walk. A leadoff base on balls in the third resulted in Athena’s only other run.

“I just forgot all that and reset myself,” he explained. “I thought about moving forward and trusted my defense. They were great today. It was great to have the defense supporting me.”

The southpaw retired 13 of the last 14 he faced allowing just two balls out of the infield and did not need a strike out to complete the game.

“He got ahead and threw strikes,” DeRosa said of his starter’s success.  “At the beginning of the game he was trying to get a feel which I completely understand. He probably had some jitters too. I told him, ‘Trust your defense. You got a bunch of guys around you who can make plays.’ Our guys made plays for him and that’s all we wanted.”

When he woke this morning, DePaolis was a member of the JV squad. His status changed before noon.

“He had an idea that it could be some time this week,” DeRosa said of the promotion. “But he did not know that it was going to be today. I texted him about 10 o’clock: ‘Hey, you good to go today? He said, yes, absolutely.’”

Jack Bergin gave Sutherland a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first with an RBI groundout. Bergin supplied the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the third. The junior finished the day with five hits, and Sutherland improved to 8-5 on the season and 4-2 in division play.

“He battles every at bat for us,” DeRosa said of Bergin. “It seems like he’s always on base. He’s been an animal for us so far.”

Trailing 1-0 after a half inning, Nate Richardson reached out on a hit by pitch and stole second. Layton Cummings moved the runner with a groundball, and game one winner Jack Zielinski delivered with a single to right center. Will Marsh doubled in a run, and Bergin gave Sutherland an early edge.

Richardson singled and stole second to start the third. Cummings walked. Two outs later, Bergin brought in one, and Davis Heyman capped the frame with a two-run single to center.

James Sciortino came on and pitched three and a third scoreless innings for Athena. The right-hander struck out two and walked none.

Bergin finished 4-for-4 in game one and scored three runs on the day. Zielinski was 4-for-7 with two runs  scored. Charlie Pellegrini was 4-for-7 with a double, triple and a run scored.

Zielinski allowed one run on six hits over six innings of work in game one. The senior struck out four and walked  one.

Ryan Ballard singled and scored on a one-out Jake Kimble RBI hit in the first. Ballard walked and eventually scored on a Sciortino sacrifice fly in the third.

Casey Saucke turned a pair of spectacular diving plays at third. The Athena eighth-grader took away a sure hit down the line to leave runners on in the first. Saucke then went to his left into the hole between third and short to take away another hit. He moved over to shortstop when Sciortino took over on the mound and had a hand in two infield double plays for Athena.

Heavy rains caused numerous postponements to the Section Five scheduled last week. Teams will look to complete season schedules with sectionals beginning next week.