Rye Neck extended their losing streak to three on Monday, dropping them down to 5-8. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 5-3 heartbreaker at the hands of the Port Chester Rams. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Panthers have suffered since May 14, 2025.
Rye Neck got a good showing from Jack Kennel, who tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the first time Kennel hasn't allowed a single hit since back in April of 2025.
On the hitting side, Zach Strzalkowski made the most of his time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. That stolen base marked the first that he has snagged this season. Another player making a difference was Chris Cervantes, who got on base in two of his three plate appearances with one stolen base and one RBI.
As for Port Chester, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 6-6. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 5 runs in those games.
On Port Chester's side, Welinton Lopez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. Lopez has become a key player for the Rams: the team is undefeated when he posts at least eight strikeouts, but 2-6 otherwise.
At the plate, Port Chester got a big performance out of Sebastian Gonzalez, who went 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. Roy Morris III was another key player, earning one RBI, one run, and two stolen bases.
Coming up, Rye Neck will face off against Tuckahoe at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Panthers' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Tigers have averaged an impressive 6.2 runs per game this season. As for Port Chester, they will square off against Ketcham at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.