East High Baseball honors Joe LaPietra at the Strike Out Lou Gehrig’s Disease Classic

By PAUL GOTHAM

HONOEYE FALLS, N.Y. — East High baseball improved to 8-0 with a 13-2 win over Bishop Kearney/Chesterton.

The Eagles, though, won before they stepped on to the field Saturday afternoon.

In honor of Joe LaPietra, members of the team wore custom uniforms to honor Joe LaPietra – the longtime Rochester City School District Athletic Director who has been suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

A ribbon noting “Strike Out ALS” replaced the “s” on the front of the Eagles uniforms with LaPietra’s name across the back.

The game was part of the inaugural Strike Out Lou Gehrig’s Disease Baseball Classic held at Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District.

Five games started at 10 AM with the host Cougars facing Eastridge in a Monroe County Division IV matchup. Crosstown rivals Pittsford Mendon and Pittsford Sutherland then took the field before East and Bishop Kearney/Chesterton. Wilson and School of the Arts played after that. Aquinas and McQuaid Jesuit finished off the day.

Miguel Matos went 2-for-2 with a triple, walk, three RBI and three runs scored to pace the East offense which scored two runs in the first inning and five more in the second.

Carlos Gaston went 2-for-2 with a walk, stolen base and two runs scored. Kyle Markham doubled, reached base twice, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and crossed home twice himself. Emille Diaz drove in a run with a double, stole a base and scored twice. Eric Jones went 2-for-2 with a two runs scored. Mitchell Nieves singled and scored twice. Justus Robinson was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Luis Pineda struck out five in the win.

East 13
Bishop Kearney 2 pic.twitter.com/pL5Bo5rXUq

— EastHighbaseball585 (@eastbaseball585) April 20, 2024

Kyle Markham gives ⁦@eastbaseball585⁩ a 3-0 lead. Eric Jones scores on the play. pic.twitter.com/qbLH803CCD

— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 20, 2024

Bishop Kearney/Chesterton’s Augustine Valentini went 2-for-2 with a solo home run. Jackson Stevens reached on an error and scored. Dan Bennaci was 1-for-2.

The 10 teams from Saturday’s event will be a part of ALS Awareness Day, June 2nd at Innovative Field.

Eastridge beat HF-L in extra innings, 1-0. Pittsford Sutherland defeated Pittsford Mendon, 3-1.

Fans looking to donate to the ALS Association can uses this QR Code: