By Jacob Sisson

It has been a tough season thus far for the Pierson/Bridgehampton Whalers boys’ basketball team, having endured four losses in their first four games of the 2010-2011 season. The Whalers ended 2010 0-1 in Suffolk County league eight play and 0-4 overall, having dropped their only league matchup to Southold, as well as two non-league matchups to East Hampton and one to Hampton Bays. Despite the tough start to the season, Pierson/Bridgehampton coach Dan White is still optimistic about his team’s chances at a playoff berth. Making the playoffs this year will be quite the accomplishment for the first-year coach, after the Whalers finished the 2009-2010 season with a 2-16 record. “When you go 2-16 the previous year and then all of a sudden you’re in a position to win games, it’s a totally different mentality. We’re trying to get through that and when we do, we can do some damage.” “Our goals are still intact. Our goal has been to make the playoffs and that’s still the goal. We’re better right now than where we started. We have proved we can play with good teams. The team still has their goal and they still believe in it.” Pierson/Bridgehampton’s season started with a pair of tough games against East Hampton (3-5, 0-2), and it was clear that while the wins didn’t come, the Whalers were finding their identity as a team. The Whalers kept the scoreline manageable at 44-33 in the teams’ first meeting, then pushed into overtime in their second, dropping the second contest 53-51. The second East Hampton game on December 12 provided coach White with his first real insight into what the Whalers need to do to run with the league’s elite. “In that East Hampton game, the guys got out to a lead and started to think: ‘oh my gosh, we can win this!’ But then, all of a sudden, they get nervous. Instead of trying to keep all the doors open, they get nervous. They’ve got to understand that when you’re in a position to win, you have to really put the nail in the coffin, but that’s a learning experience.” White does know that there are things the Whalers are doing well and things the Whalers can work on to improve their playoff chances. “When we make a commitment to get the ball inside, and when we make a commitment to playing good half court defense, that’s what we hang our hat on. Whenever we get away from that we start to struggle a bit. We’ve also got to become better at taking care of the ball and doing a better job of looking out for each other on the weak side. We need to do a better job, too, of playing for each other on offense. We’ve started to do it, but we have to do it all the time.” White points to four individuals who have really carried the team when it comes to production and leadership. “Seamus Doyle, Skyler Loesch, Jake Weingartner and Patrick Sloane have stepped up as far as scoring, being leaders and playing the majority of our minutes. They’ve also been really good on defense. We’ve really been relying on them.” “Jake Weingartner has come back and been really important for me this year. He didn’t play last year, but played varsity as a Sophomore, so I wasn’t sure how he was going to fit in. He’s a smart kid and he knows the game of basketball and he’s been great.” Despite two stinging losses to close out 2010, confidence in the Whalers’ camp is still high. Though it won’t show up on the score sheet, the Whalers took home a scrimmage victory against Sayville, which has given the team vital momentum ahead of their first games of the new year. “We went to Sayville and got a win in the scrimmage. On top of that, we had a really good week of practice. We may face our toughest games coming right out of the break, but I think we’re ready.” “We’ve got Greenport, Stony Brook and Port Jefferson coming up. Those are the three best teams in the league, so that’s going to be a difficult run for us. We’ll be competitive if we do the things we need to do. We’re going to have to do some damage against some of the lesser teams in the league to put ourselves in position to make the playoffs. The Whalers get their season back underway on Friday with a league eight matchup against Greenport (5-0, 2-0). Greenport’s two league eight victories came against Bridgehampton (0-5, 0-1) – a 66-34 blowout on December 15 – and against Southold (3-3, 1-1) – a 61-54 victory on Tuesday. Pierson/Bridgehampton will need to work hard to stop Greenport’s Dantre Langhorne, who scored 27 points each in his last two games and hasn’t scored fewer than 20 points once this season.

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by Benito Vila

After a pre-season that saw the Pierson girls’ drop three games to Class B schools in League VII and League VI, the Lady Whalers started their League VIII schedule with a 53-37 win over Southold at home Friday.

The team overcame adversity off the court before the game, the seniors learning early in the day one of their kindergarten buddies (now in seventh grade) is likely losing a two-year battle with cancer.

According to athletic director Montgomery Granger, putting off the home opener was considered by the administration, but the girls and their coach, Dennis Case, agreed to play as scheduled.

The game tipped off soon after Southold took the JV contest, those Lady Clippers taking control early on. That was not the case in the varsity game, the Lady Whalers running out to leads of 15-6 after the first quarter and 33-18 at the half.

The Pierson varsity left little doubt to the outcome in their game by pushing the score to 45-23 after the third period, that advantage proving to be enough even as Southold cut into the lead in the fourth.

Senior co-captains Sarah Barrett and Samantha James led the Lady Whalers with 15 and 11 points respectively, sophomore Emily Hinz netting seven and senior Kaci Koehne adding 6.

Freshman Bridget Canavan scored five points and senior Amanda Busiello three, with freshman Casey Gilbride, senior Nina Hemby and freshman Katherine Matthers each recording a pair.

The girls’ next league contest comes after the school break, once again at home, Mercy set to make their way to Pierson on January 7.

Whalers Fall in Southold

While the Lady Whalers were enjoying their success at home, the Whalers saw a good start come undone in Southold and the Clippers prevail, 43-34. An 11-5 Southold run in the third quarter proved to be difference on the scoreboard, putting Pierson down 32-21 to open the fourth.

The Whalers outscored the Clippers in the final period but not so much to get back into the game. Skyler Loesch led Pierson with ten points with Tyler Gilbride tossing in seven and Seamus Doyle and Jake Weingartner each adding six, those four seniors doing the bulk of the scoring. Sophomore Jackson Marienfeld knocked in five.

The Pierson boys have a non-league contest set for Tuesday at Hampton Bays and resume league play at Greenport January 7. Their home opener is set for January 11 against Stony Brook.

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By Jacob Sisson

The Pierson Whalers basketball team comes into 2010-2011 ready to forget what was often a disappointing year in 2009-2010. A coaching change and a core group of performers could be just the thing the Whalers need to get them into the playoffs and beyond.??It was a tough year for the Whalers in 2010-2011, as the team dipped to 2-16 across all competitions in what was largely a year to forget.

While the wins and losses may not have shown the team’s effort and desire, it was those qualities that made up for a lack of senior leadership (the team had six juniors and two sophomores on their roster last year) and gives newly appointed coach Dan White something to build on.

“Honestly, I’ll be disappointed if we don’t make the playoffs this year,” said White of his first year in charge. “We had a really good JV team last year and we’ve got a good core group of guys here who have been playing together and playing with me year round, so I think we should definitely say the playoffs are our goal this year.”

“We need to dominate on the boards this year. If we are equalled or out-rebounded, we’ll be in trouble, but we’ve got plenty of size and should be able to dominate our opponents in the rebounding category. If we do that we have a shot at every game.”??The size that White is talking about are the dynamic duo of seniors Skyler Loesch and Seamus Doyle, who will both be tasked with giving Pierson a dominating inside presence. “We have plenty of size. We’ve got guys who are 6′3″ and very athletic and they have to own the boards every night.”

The reliance on the two big men was readily apparent when the Whalers headed to Shoreham Wading River on November 27 for their first scrimmage of the year. For the new Whalers, it was their first chance to get in some game action, and for Loesch and Doyle, it was a chance to showcase their hard work from the off-season.

Doyle and Loesch were both effective on the inside, with Doyle showing excellent touch with his mid-range jump shooting. Moreover, the entire Pierson defensive unit showed great tenacity, challenging every ball and never allowing Shoreham Wading River an open shot.

Defense will be the name of the game for the Whalers, who will try to keep other teams off the scoreboard to ease the pressure on the offense.

“We’re going to try to lock other teams up so we don’t have to score 70 points to win games,” said White. “We’re also going to control the ball more. Last year we lost too many games because we didn’t respect our position. We also need to be good team defenders as well as good individual defenders.”

White points to Greenport, Stony Brook and Port Jefferson as the class of League VIII, but points out Southold as the Whalers’ main competition for the fourth playoff spot. Southold was the runaway winners of League VIII in the 2009-2010 season, going undefeated en route to the league eight title.

The Whalers will also have to fend off challenges from Bridgehampton, Ross and Shelter Island if they hope to make the post-season. ??Pierson’s march to the playoffs begins on Saturday with a trip to non-league foes East Hampton, with the teams league season getting underway on December 17 with a trip to Southold.

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After getting his start with the Pierson seventh grade basketball team last season, Dan White has taken over a Pierson varsity basketball squad in need of a fresh start. After going 2-16 last year, White will need to bring together a talented group of individuals who may be in need of motivation and a winning mentality that may have been lacking in recent years.

White seems just the man to make this turnaround happen. A four year varsity basketball player at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass., he was a two year starter. White was named captain of the squad during his senior year. A former native of the Albany area, White was a member of his high school’s team that made it to the New York State Final Four in 2005.

“I’ve coached a lot of AAU and varsity summer leagues. Last year, I coached the Pierson seventh grade team, but what I’m doing this year is a whole different animal. I think that I’m ready for it though.

“I want my team to take pride in their defense. I want them to be able to go to another team’s gym and have the other team walk out saying, ‘wow, we couldn’t get anything going tonight.’

“At the end of the day, my goals are to allow the kids the freedom to play the game of basketball. I’m not the type of guy to tell them ‘oh, you have to go here, you have to go there.’ I give them some guidelines to play the game, but I’m not going to give them these complex offensive scenarios. I want them to just go out and play the game and have fun.”

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Field Hockey

10/28 Pierson/Bridgehampton 2 – 0 East Hampton

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers field hockey team (9-6, 9-5) sealed its season with a defensive 2-0 victory over East Hampton (5-9, 5-9), and simultaneously tied up third place in division three and the number one seed in the Suffolk County Class C tournament. For Pierson/Bridgehampton, it is the second win over East Hampton this season, after a 2-1 overtime victory at home on September 25.

Pierson/Brdigehampton’s scoring was evenly distributed over the game’s two halves, with Lilah Yardley scoring late in the first half to give the Lady Whalers a 1-0 lead going into the break. East Hampton could do little to reignite their offense and it wasn’t long before Sariah Cafiero grabbed the second goal of the game and put victory out of reach for East Hampton. Lindsay Warne and Alexa Lantiere, who both had an assist, set up the goals. The Pierson/Bridgehampton defense kept their goalkeeper, Catherin Musnicki, well shielded from the East Hampton attack, and the net minder only had to record two saves. For the Lady Whaler back line, it was the seventh shutout of the season, and their third in a row.

After knocking out three straight wins, the Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers head to the Suffolk County Class C Tournament as the number one seed, where they will face second seeded Southampton (10-6, 8-6) for the County Championship on Tuesday. Pierson/Bridgehampton had a winning record against Southampton this season, taking their first meeting on September 27, 4-0 and the return trip on October 19, 4-1.

Boys Soccer

10/27 Smithtown Christian 0 – 1 Pierson/Bridgehampton

The Pierson/Bridgehampton boys soccer team (8-6-2, 8-2-2) wrapped up its regular season with a 1-0 home victory against Smithtown Christian (5-8-1, 4-8-0) and clinched third place in League VIII. It was a tight affair between the Whalers, a side that wanted to break a streak of two straight draws, and Smithtown Christian, who had already been eliminated from the playoffs and were playing for the pride of their graduating seniors. In their previous encounter, Pierson/Bridgehampton had emerged 1-0 winners when they traveled to Smithtown Christian on October 6.

The first half pulsed from end to end, with Pierson/Bridgehampton enjoying the better part of possession, but not able to find that final, cutting ball. On the Pierson/Brdigehampton right, the dynamic duo of Oscar Reinoso and Christian Bautista had a number of charging runs cut out at the very last moment. Brook Hartnett was creating problems on the left side of the pitch while Oscar Reyes always looked a threat to score.

The true man of the match, however, was senior captain Gavin Kudlak, who ensured time and time again that Smithtown Christian didn’t see even a whiff of a goal. Kudlak was instrumental in closing down multiple Smithtown Christian attacks, and never put a foot wrong for the entire game. It was a phenomenal performance for a young man taking his bow in his final home game.

Pierson/Bridgehampton finally found the breakthrough on the 44th minute; just minutes after the second half whistle had blown. Reyes took a wonderfully chipped ball down to his feet, reversed course to put the ball on his left foot, and fired a howitzer into the top left corner of the goal. The Smithtown Christian keeper had no shot at getting to the ball that was rifled from within the 18 yard box. Pierson/Brigehampton could defend for the rest of the match, and drew a curtain on the 2010 regular season with their eighth league win of the year. Senior goalkeeper Tyler Gilbride recorded his fifth shutout of the season with six saves.

Pierson/Bridgehampton earned the third seed in the Suffolk County Class C Tournament and beat Stony Brook (10-3-1, 9-2-1)Wednesday. They now face Port Jeff for the County Class C Championship this Saturday.

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by Jacob Sisson

Girls Soccer

Pierson/Bridgehampton 3 – 1 Ross

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers (4-3-2, 3-2-0) took a well-earned win against Ross that moved them temporarily to .500 on the season. Amanda Busiello returned to the lineup to score a hat trick, including one goal in the first half and two in the second half, to lead the Lady Whalers to victory. Ross showed some fight in the first half, heading to halftime with the scored tied at 1-1 thanks to a goal from Emma Betuel.

Southold/Greenport 0 – 3 Pierson/Bridgehampton

The Lady Whalers’ scoring assault continued as Southold/Greenport (1-7-1, 1-5-1) came to Mashashamuet Park. Kaci Koehne opened the scoring in the first half, while Amanda Busiello and Alexis Suydam each added one goal to the scoreboard in the second half. Thanks to the win, Pierson/Bridgehampton sprung into third place in the league eight standings.

Boys Soccer

Ross 0 – 2 Pierson/Bridgehampton

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Whalers (3-6-0, 3-2-0) picked up their third win of the season against Ross (1-4-0, 1-4-0), coming out of their home matchup 2-0. With the win, Pierson/Bridgehampton moved into third place in league eight and closer to a playoff berth.

Pierson/Bridgehampton 0 – 1 Stony Brook

Pierson/Bridgehampton traveled to Stony Brook (4-2-0, 4-1-0) where they dropped a narrow league eight encounter. Pierson/Bridgehampton went down in the first half through a Tyler Anderson goal, which Stony Brook maintained until the full time whistle.

Southold 1 – 2 Pierson/Bridgehampton

Pierson/Bridgehampton picked up their second 2-1 win of the season over Southold (6-3-1, 3-3-0). The win, paired with the Southold loss, helped move Pierson up one spot over the visitors and helped distance the Whalers from the rest of the playoff contenders.

Field Hockey

Shoreham Wading River 6 – 2 Pierson/Bridgehampton

Pierson/Bridgehampton (4-3-0, 4-2-0) welcomed joint league leaders Shoreham Wading River (6-0-0, 4-0-0) to Mashasamuet Park. Shoreham Wading River jumped out to an early 4-0 lead thanks to four first half goals. Pierson/Bridgehampton’s Sariah Cafiero and Lindsay Warne responded with one goal each in the second half, but it was not enough, as Shoreham Wading River also scored two goals in the second half.

Riverhead 0 – 4 Pierson/Bridgehampton

Pierson/Bridgehampton got back to its winning ways as the Lady Whalers routed Riverhead (2-3-0, 1-2-0). One goal in the first half and three in the second half came from Lindsay Warne and Sarah Barrett, who each had two goals. Alexa Lantiere and Kacey Gilbride each contributed an assist.

Girls Swimming

East Hampton/Bridgehampton/Pierson 91 – 85 Smithtown

East Hampton/Bridgehampton/Pierson (2-0-0, 0-0-0) picked up its second non-league encounter, coming out 91-85 winners against Smithtown (0-2-0, 0-0-0). Marina Preiss picked up a pair of wins in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard backstroke. Maddie Minetree on both the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly.

Football

Deer Park 28 – 21 East Hampton/Bridgehampton/Pierson

Deer Park (3-1-0, 3-1-0) staged a 22 point third quarter rally to upstage East Hampton/Bridgehampton/Pierson (2-2-0, 2-2-0) at home. Despite a touchdown in the first quarter and two in the second quarter, giving East Hampton/Bridgehampton/Pierson a 21-6 lead going into halftime, the team struggled against the run in the second half, giving up 22 points in the third quarter. The offense couldn’t get moving in the second half either, as Deer Park pitched a shutout to preserve the win.

Girls Cross Country

Pierson/Bridgehampton 33 – 22 Mattituck

Pierson/Bridgehampton (0-3-0, 0-3-0) slipped to the bottom of league eight, losing a tight matchup against Mattituck (1-2-0, 1-2-0) in the 5k event at Indian Island.

Pierson/Bridgehampton 15 – 50 Stony Brook

Pierson/Bridgehampton’s Elena Skerys ran 23:01 to finish up the day in second place against Stony Brook (2-1-0, 2-1-0) at Sunken Meadow State Park. The fastest time of the day belonged to Stony Brook’s Margot Rashda, who ran a 22:34.

Boys Golf

Pierson/Bridgehampton 0 – 9 Southampton

Pierson/Bridgehampton (3-3-0, 3-3-0) was shut out at the Southampton Country Club by first place Southampton (5-1-0, 5-1-0). Ryan Ricca shot a 2-under 34 on the course’s back nine, followed closely by Nick Acquino’s even-par 36, to lead Southampton to victory.

Pierson/Bridgehampton 0 – 9 East Hampton

Pierson/Bridgehampton lost its second match to East Hampton (7-0-0, 7-0-0) of the season, as it could not keep up with East Hampton’s record setting 187 stroke team score at the South Fork Country Club, the team’s lowest total since 1985. Zach Grossman led East Hampton with a 1-under 34.

Pierson/Bridgehampton 8 – 1 Westhampton

Pierson/Bridgehampton traveled to the Westhampton Beach Country Club to face Westhampton (3-4-0, 3-4-0). Harrison Bayrami was the top scorer on the day, shooting a 5-over 41 on the course’s front nine. With the win, Pierson moved into the top half of the league eight standings, good enough for third place.

Girls Volleyball

Center Moriches 2 – 3 Pierson/Bridgehampton

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers (4-3-0, 4-3-0) took a win in a very close match over Center Moriches (2-5-0, 2-5-0). After dropping the first game 21-25, Pierson/Bridgehampton rebounded in the second to win 26-24. Pierson/Bridgehampton dropped another game in the third 22-25 but reversed that scoreline in the fourth to even the match at 2-2. Pierson/Bridgehampton pulled away in the fifth, winning the game 25-19 and taking the match 3-2

Pierson/Bridgehampton 3 – 0 Ross

The Lady Whalers traveled to Ross (0-7-0, 0-7-0) hoping to build on the momentum following the Center Moriches Win. Pierson/Bridgehampton proceeded to rout Ross 3-0. Pierson/Bridgehampton took the first set 25-13, the second set 25-17 and the third set by the same score.

Port Jefferson 3 – 1 Pierson/Bridgehampton

Pierson/Bridgehampton’s winning run came to an end against Port Jefferson (4-3-0, 4-3-0), dropping the match 3-1. Pierson/Bridgehampton dropped the first game 16-25 before rebounding and evening the match score with a second game result of 25-17. Despite their second game success, Pierson/Bridgehampton dropped a close third game 22-25 before dropping the final game 19-25. With the loss, Pierson/Bridgehampton dropped into a tie for third place in league eight.

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By Jesse Rosenthal

The Pierson Varsity Baseball Whalers success in the 2010 season cannot be measured by reviewing their record. Considering the way in which they struggled in the beginning of the season, what they accomplished in the end was no small feat.

After losing their first eight games, three of which were blowout losses, the Whalers rallied through the second half of their schedule, winning six of their last nine games, and coming up just two wins shy of the playoffs. The last seven losses were by two runs or less.

There was no shortage of talent on Coach Jon Tortorella’s roster, which initially may have been part of the problem. A luxury problem no doubt, it was a problem nonetheless. With a staggering eleven seniors and a few talented juniors to choose from, Tortorella and his Whalers struggled early on to find a balance. Pitchers Brandon Kruel, Kyle McGowin and Jake Weingartner who played first base, center field and shortstop respectively when not on the mound, made for a difficult time moving around the defense, the infield especially, to find the perfect combination of backup in the field for the ace pitching.

Although it was officially recorded as a loss, Tortorella cited game three of the Port Jefferson series as the pivotal moment in his team’s season. The Whalers fought back from a 10-3 Port Jeff lead to tie the game at ten in the sixth inning. Port Jeff scored two in the bottom of six and the Whalers again tied the game in the seventh. Unfortunately, according to league rules the score reverts back to the last completed inning in the event of darkness, so Pierson’s runs were nullified, leaving them with a 12-10 loss.

Despite the official outcome “I think that was when we really came together,” said Tortorella. “We started to believe in ourselves and each other.”

The Whalers found that balance in the infield, bats came alive, base running got smarter, and the boys went on to win six of their next seven games.

It was a team effort the entire season, according to Coach Tortorella. His eleven seniors all played vital roles. Here are the highlights in the coach’s words.

1. George Hoglund came through big for us at the end of the season. George was injured most of the year, but he came up with some big hits when we needed him most. He also played great defense at 3B.

2. Eddie Schall improved drastically this year. He was solid behind the plate and was a vocal leader on the field. His bat really came along as the season went on.

3. Brandon Kruel was great on the mound. He threw strikes, was very effiient with his pitches and kept hitters off balance. His bat was key for our offense.

4. Kyle McGowin came along as a player and as a leader. He was hitting really well at the end of the season. His baserunning and defense was conisistent all year. He did a great job on the mound and came through when we needed him most.

5. T.J. Arreguin had a solid season. He provided some good pop at the plate and drove in some big runs. His defense improved tremendously and he also had some good innings on the mound.

6. Mark Mahoney played great defense all year. He is very consistent in the outfield and always makes the right play. He made solid contributions at the plate and on the bases as well.

7. Jake Federico played a solid 2B this year. He brings energy and hustle everyday. At the plate, he had some big hits and always had productive at bats.

8. Cesar Bernados was a tremendous part of this team. His work ethic, attitude and dedication were exactly how every player should conduct himself. He was one of the most improved and respected players on the team.

9. Jeff Schimmer made the play of the year in a very big spot. He saved the game and our season with his diving catch in the outfield against Smithtown Christian. He had a great attitude all year and was a valuable player in all aspects of the game.

10. Dane Riva is a very hard working, tough player. He played some good defense in the outfield and also improved dramatically. He conducted himself very respectfully every day and worked very hard to improve his game.

11. Joey Dowling played solid defense for us this year and he improved at the plate, having some of his best at-bats at the end of the season. He brought some real energy to this team.

Juniors Jake Weingartner, Tyler Gilbride, Gavin Kudlak and Lukas Wheeler also made invaluable contributions to the 2010 Whalers according to Tortorella.

“Jake had a tremendous year,” said Tortorella. He solidified our SS position a the end of the year and played a great 3B. He also stepped up on the mound. Offensively, he batted cleanup and was killing the ball all season.”

“Tyler did a solid job leading off for our team,” said Tortorella. He improved dramatically at SS and really stepped up behind the plate for us at the end of the season.”

“Gavin and Lukas were both tremendous in the outfield.”

Coach Tortorella echoed what was clear for anyone watching closely this season. “Our record does not indicate the success we had as a team,” he said. We improved dramatically from the beginning of the season, came together as a team and matured a lot as people. I am proud to have coached these guys. They worked hard, fought hard and played hard.”

Next season will see a younger, greener Whaler baseball squad take the field. If Tortorella can rouse the same amount of passion for the game, and hunger to win from his youngbloods as he got from his team this season, and if they can stay positive in the face of true adversity as they did this season, next season is sure to be just as exciting as 2010 was.

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By Jesse Rosenthal

Following a tough 3-2 loss in Center Moriches to wrap up a three game series on Friday, the Pierson Baseball Whalers were looking for a win at home in their first non-league matchup against Hampton Bays on Tuesday. Unfortunately, solid pitching from freshman Devon Havens of Hampton Bays, and Pierson hits that just couldn’t find the gaps resulted in a 5-0 shoutout loss for the Whalers.

After no score through two, Hampton Bays came out swinging in the top of the third. With Brandon Kruel on the mound for the Whalers, Hampton Bays scored three runs on two singles to left field and one to right.

An error in the top of the fourth allowed one more run scored for Hampton Bays, and a single to left in the top of the fifth led to the final run of the game being scored against Pierson.

Although the Whalers didn’t come out on top, Tuesday’s loss was another learning experience for Coach Tortorella and his players. With eleven players on the roster who would normally be starters, and no shortage of pitching talent, the Whalers are moving players around and battling to find a cohesive, consistent infield. They have been struggling late in games at the shortstop position, “which is something we are going to work on this week,” according to assistant Coach Benito Vila.

The loss was certainly not due to lack of effort on the part of Coach Tortorella and the varsity boys.

“We worked so hard on our defense, especially this past week,” said Tortorella. “Even though we made some plays, we still need to be consistent. We cannot give up extra opportunities. We’re confident we’ll get to where we need to be defensively, we just have to keep working and maintain our focus.”

Offensively, Pierson didn’t put any runs on the board, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of contact. “We made better contact today,” said Tortorella. “Unfortunately, we hit it right at the defense and they made the plays.” Joey Dowling went 1-3 with a double, and Eddie Schall went 1-3 with a single.

Given some run support, and had the defense made some key plays, Brandon Kruel’s pitching performance would have looked as good on the field as it does on paper. Over seven innings pitched Kruel struck out five, allowing only one earned run and three hits. “Brandon pitched very well,” said Tortorella. “His control was there all game and he forced the hitters to keep it on the ground. I was very impressed with his outing today.”

The Whalers have a chance for non-league redemption come Thursday when they play again in Hampton Bays. Coach Tortorella is looking forward to the opportunity.

“The great thing about this game is we have a chance to come back right away and play another game,” he said. “We need to keep working on certain things and get this going the way we know it can. We just need to pick ourselves up today and get back to work.”

Look for some divisional competition the following week as the Whalers gear up for a three game series against Port Jefferson, beginning away at Port Jeff on Tuesday, April 20, continuing at Pierson on Wednesday, April 21 and ending away the following Friday. Port Jefferson is 1-3 overall on the season.

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By Jesse Rosenthal

It was a tough week so far for the Pierson Baseball Whalers. The season opener at Center Moriches on Tuesday resulted in 6-0 no hitter for Center Moriches pitcher Joey Gonzalez. Two stolen bases and two singles in the second inning, followed by a lead-off homerun and a wild pitch in the fifth and some all-around tired defense through six and seven contributed to the six runs scored against Pierson.

Last night’s home opener saw a more productive Whaler offense and some solid early pitching from starter Brandon Kruel, but ultimately errors in the double digits and hot bats at the top of Center Moriches’ order led to a 15-8 loss for Tortorella’s Whalers.

Following a quick top of the first in which Kruel struck out two, walked one and made an easy play on a ground ball back to the mound, the Whalers offense came out swinging.

A lead-off walk for Tyler Gilbride and a hard hit single on the ground into left from Jake Federico found the Whalers with good speed on both bags. A failed pick-off attempt and a passed ball at first base put both runners in scoring position. A single to left from catcher Jake Weingartner gave the Whalers an early 2-0 lead.

In the top of the second Center Moriches responded with some offense of their own. Two singles, one chop to the shortstop, and two errors later the game was tied at 2-2. After some serious hustle from pitcher Brandon Kruel led to a Center Moriches baserunner being tagged out between third and home things started to get hairy. After hitting a batter and walking the next, Kruel found himself in a two-out, bases loaded jam facing Bampure, Center Moriches number three hitter. Kruel kept his cool and Bampure went down swinging to end the inning.

Center Moriches scored one more in the top half of the third on two singles to center field, a wild pitch and a hard chop to second baseman Gavin Kudlak.

A line drive single to left off the bat of Jake Federico to lead off the bottom of the third put some quick feet on first. Federico, who went 3-for-4 on the day, stole second and third and then tagged up on a sac fly to center field from Dane Riva to tie the game at three.

The top of four saw Kruel retire two batters in two pitches, both hard grounders to Federico who displayed solid defensive skills as well. Another ground out gave Kruel a three-up, three-down fourth.

A double in the gap in right center off the bat of Brandon Kruel, followed by some heads up baserunning gave the Whalers a 4-3 lead after four innings.

In the top of the fifth, however, the wheels fell off. A Joey Gonzalez triple followed by an error at third found Gonzalez scoring and a runner on first. After stealing second and then arriving at third on a wild pitch, Center Moriches picked up a walk to get runners at the corners. With one out, Federico misplayed a possible double play ball, allowing one run to score and putting Center Moriches ahead 5-4. A single to left and then a walk with the bases juiced scored one more.

Tortorella moved Kruel to first base and brought in reliever Eddie Schall to try and get out of a bases loaded situation. “Brandon pitched very well,” said Tortorella. He pitched out of some trouble and kept the hitters off balance. I thought he did a good job today.”

With Schall on the mound, a questionable call on a double up the left field line scored two more and the Whalers were able to get out of the inning, but not without allowing the lead to grow to 8-4.

Following a one, two, three bottom of the fifth for the Whalers offense and an uneventful sixth, the Whalers defense crumbled in the seventh. Multiple errors in the field, two wild pitches and another Gonzalez triple (aided by an error at second base), left the Whalers looking at an 8-run deficit.

Donald Doran came in to pitch relief with one out, but was unable to stifle the Center Moriches offense. Tired defense and another wild pitch gave Center Moriches a 15-4 lead after half of seven.

The Whalers rallied late, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh, but were unable to close the gap.

“We didn’t make the plays in pressure situations,” said assistant coach Benito Vila. “They are a good hitting team and they will capitalize on those situations,” he said of Center Moriches.

The Whalers were not completely unworthy of praise, however. “Jake and Brandon were impressive at the plate,” said Tortorella. “They had a great approach and hit the ball very well. Both players made a difference on the bases as well.”

Going into the third game of the series, which is at Center Moriches on Friday, Coach Tortorella is looking to make the necessary adjustments.

“Our performance was unacceptable and the boys know that. I never question their heart or attitude, we just need to make some plays out there. I know they will come back tomorrow and get us to where we need to be. We need to learn from today and make sure we play this game the right way.”

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by Jesse Rosenthal

With the weather warming up last week, the Pierson Varsity baseball Whalers found their groove and played solid baseball in their second scrimmage against Hampton Bays on Saturday.

While they don’t keep score for scrimmages, it looked as though the Whalers would have come out on top, had there been an official tally. Not that anyone was counting.

In what would amount to an A-1 performance both offensively and defensively from Coach Tortorella’s Whalers, strong pitching performances from the top of the rotation led the way. Brandon Kruel, Jake Weingartner and T.J. Arreguin’s  prowess on the mound, combined with solid defensive play on the diamond and in the outfield resulted in a very positive outcome for the second scrimmage of the season.

Tension was high early, however, as Brandon Kruel found himself in a bit of a pickle in the first inning, with runners breathing down his neck at second and third and only one out. Kruel was able to get out of the inning with no runs scored. “It took some toughness on his part and some help from our defense to get through that,” said Tortorella. “I liked what I saw.”

With the pitchers throwing strikes, and the defense making plays, everyone did their job on Saturday, according to Coach Tortorella. “Kruel, Weingartner and Arreguin all pitched very well,” said the coach. “They pitched to contact and let their defense do the work. It was very efficient and impressive.”

Tyler Gilbride and Jake Weingartner were strong behind home plate and Kyle McGowin made more than one pivotal defensive play in center field.

Offensively, while the lineup made great contact throughout the day, run scoring was at a minimum. 

“We need to do a better job of driving in runners,” said Tortorella, “but that will definitely come as the season progresses.”

If Saturday’s scrimmage was any indication, the Whalers are on the verge of an exciting season of baseball. There are always some adjustments that can be made,  details tweaked, but Coach Tortorella’s mindset going forward is one of optimism with a philosophy of hard work for it to stand on. “It was a good day for us,” he said. We were impressed with some things but we also need to keep working and continue to get better. It’s a tough road ahead and we’ll need to be consistent and disciplined to be successful.”

The Whalers’ third and final scrimmage, scheduled at Mattituck on Monday, was rained out. The team is looking forward to a solid week of practice over spring break to prepare them for a legitimately tough opponent in Center Moriches come April 6. That game, the regular season opener, is the first of a three game series. The Whalers will be away at Center Moriches on April, 6, home at Mashashamuet on the seventh, and then back to Center Moriches on the 9th to wrap up the series. All three games start at 4:30 p.m.

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