Wasserman leads; Brighton stays undefeated

By PAUL GOTHAM

BRIGHTON, N.Y. — The difference one time through the order can make.

For three innings Monday afternoon, the Brighton Barons chipped away at the plate with modest returns. That changed in the fourth frame.

Sam O’Hora and Trent Wasserman plated runs with back-to-back doubles, and Brighton went on to score five runs to take a commanding lead.

“It’s definitely fun thinking about what the guys are doing right now,” first-year coach John Feltes said after the Barons improved to 7-0 on the season with a 9-6 win over Pittsford Sutherland. “We’re hitting the ball really well and putting some plays together.”

In an inning where the Barons batted around, Matt Falter led with a single. One out later, Jack Falter connected on a base hit to left. O’Hora followed with the first big blow. Wasserman then connected on one of his three hits in the game – a two-bagger of his own to left field.

“I knew they were going to set me up away, so I just stepped into it,” the left-handed batter said. “I flicked it over to left.”

Brennan Wilcox capped the outburst with a bases loaded, two-out single that plated Wasserman and Nick Stodgell.

For three innings, Sutherland starter Tyler DePaolis kept Brighton guessing on his breaking ball.

“It was challenging to pick it up,” Feltes said of the curveball. “He did a good job of delivering it. The second time around the order we were able to pick it up a little bit better and did a better job on the ball.”

After the fourth, Wasserman had all the runs he needed.

For six innings, the southpaw held Sutherland to one run on three hits.

“Trent did an awesome job on the mound today,” Feltes said of the Niagara County Community College commit. “He was finding and locating his pitches, especially his secondary pitches. It just kept him in good situations. Trent was on top of his game.”

The senior struck out eight out and did not get in any trouble until the seventh inning when he allowed three straight singles.

“I let the grip handle it,” Wasserman said of his breaking ball that he used in a variety of counts on Monday. “I just had to make sure to stay in front, keep my front closed.”

Jack Falter and Wasserman paced a 14-hit attack. Falter finished 4-for-4 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored. Wasserman went 3-for-4 with a triple, a double, three RBI and two runs scored. Chase Siebold was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Matt Falter scored two runs. Ryan Watson added a hit.

Tanner Frank got the last three outs of the game.

John Messina drove in two runs to lead the Sutherland offense. Tate Pierson finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Keeghan Cummings had a hit and scored a run. Nick Provenzale drove in a run with a hit and also scored once. Torin Wilcox collected a hit and an RBI. Robert Nolan and Jack Zawacki both scored a run.

The same two teams play again Wednesday at Brighton.