Anthony Brunetti showed once again he can do it all for
Holy Trinity (Hicksville, N.Y.). Brunnetti’s three-run homer led the Titans to a 5-4 series clinching win over St. Anthony’s in game two of the best-of-three NSCHSAA semi-final series at Farmingdale State College. Sophomore Alex Robinson allowed two runs with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He kept the Friars hitless for the first 4 2/3 innings.
The Titans got on the board first when senior Peter August hit an RBI single in the top of the third inning. After Jack Parenty drew a walk, Brunetti stepped to the plate with two men aboard. Brunetti drilled one deep over the right field fence to give the Titans a 4-0 lead.
The Friars threatened in the bottom half of the inning, and again in the bottom of the fifth, but each time Robinson was able to get out of the jam. In the fifth, St. Anthony’s had the bases loaded with no outs and came up empty. Robinson struck out Andrew Gorecki for the first out. A failed suicide squeeze attempt gave Holy Trinity the second out. Robinson then got Mike Surace to fly to left to end the inning.
St. Anthony’s was able to get on the board in the bottom of the sixth when senior Mike Dolce hit a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle. Junior Rickey Van Allen came on to pitch. Senior catcher Javier Rodriguez ended the inning by gunning out Dolce treying to steal second.
The Titans took a 5-2 lead to the bottom of the seventh. Van Allen put himself in a hole by walking two batters. Both runners would score, setting up a dramatic finish. With the tying run 90 feet away and two out, Van Allen struck out St. Anthony’s top hitter Christian Faust to earn the save.
With the win, No. 1 Holy Trinity advanced to the NSCHSAA Championship Series where it will take No. 2
St. John the Baptist (West Islip, N.Y.)
