By Dylan Butler
Charlie Foster said it took him three innings to realize he hadn't allowed a hit. And then, just as quickly, the Long Island Cardinals hurler forgot.
“As soon as I was aware of it, I just threw it out of my head and started to focus on each batter,” said the North Florida Community College-bound righty. “I learned from experience you can't keep a thing like that on your mind or else it will get to you eventually.”
In his first extended outing in almost a month, Foster was brilliant through 5.2 innings and, with the exception of giving up a game-tying bases loaded walk, Molloy standout Brian Honeyman was solid as the Cardinals defeated Long Island Tigers West, 2-1, in a combined no-hitter Friday at Adelphi University.
“It’s great to have someone like Brian following you up knowing that if you start to get tired, Brian’s coming in,” said Foster. “I’m happy we got to share that together as teammates.”
Because of inclement weather, Foster, who last tossed a no-hitter his junior year at Lynbrook High — an 18-strikeout gem over East Rockaway — has only thrown three innings in three and a half weeks, but he was sharp against the Tigers.
His fastball topped out at 88-mph and he consistently threw his curveball, fastball and occasionally a changeup, for strikes.
“Anytime you get a no-hitter or a perfect game, it’s just rare and you have to appreciate what the guys did. Charlie and Brian just punched the clock and went to work,” said Cardinals head coach Ian Millman. “Charlie threw exceptionally well considering he’s pretty much been idle for the past three weeks. To come out and throw the way he did is just outstanding.”
Foster walked the bases loaded in the sixth inning and was replaced by Honeyman, who has become the Cardinals closer. The Flushing native said he was unaware of the no-hitter.
Until the game-tying walk.
“I didn’t know once I got in, but once I started pitching after I walked the guy people were screaming, ‘just don't give up a hit,’ then I figured it out,” the Queens College-bound hurler said.
Honeyman induced a fly out to left to end the Tigers rally and then retired the side in order in the seventh inning after Francis Lewis standout Yi-Chang Chiang put the Cardinals in front, 2-1 on an RBI-single in the bottom of the sixth.
“It’s always cool to be part of a no-hitter,” said Honeyman. “Especially with Charlie pitching so well, I felt kind of bad walking in that one run but I felt pretty good to not blow the whole thing for him.”
“He’s our closer and he’s a great guy in pressure situations because he doesn't get intimidated,” Millman said of Honeyman. “For whatever reason he’s not aware of who plays where during the high school season so he just goes out there and pitches every guy like they’re the same, which is a great attitude to have at the end.”
The victory came after a dramatic come-from-behind win last Thursday at Cardozo, when the Cardinals erased a 5-1 deficit to defeat the Bayside Yankees Senior Nationals, 7-5, on a three-run, walk-off home run to right-center field by Sean O’Brien in the bottom of the seventh.
“Sean has one of the best approaches to hitting,” Millman said of the left-handed power hitter from Chappaqua. “He’s very balanced, his hips and his hands come through the strike zone and he generates very good power with minimal extra movement from his body. He’s got a very natural swing with a little lift at the end of it.”
The Cardinals (8-4, 6-2 National Junior Baseball League) then won their fifth straight Saturday at Lehman, beating the Bronx Highlanders, 11-1 in a mercy-rule shortened five innings.
Long Island broke the game open with a five-run first inning, highlighted by Bobby Sanzillo’s three-run double. The Cardinals tacked on three more runs in the third inning capped by Foster's two-run double.
Jason Bonder scored three runs, speedy Josh Charry stole three bases and scored twice and Eric Bretscher went the distance, allowing one run on three hits, striking out three with two walks.
The Cardinals pitching staff has been brilliant in the early season, combining for a 1.54 earned run average.
“The strong point of this team is that we don’t have to lean on one guy,” Millman said. “We have a roster full of guys who can get the job done. That’s great for team confidence that anybody can get it done at any given time.”
The Cardinals take on the Bayside Yankees Senior Nationals Thursday in a doubleheader at Pace University Thursday at 3 p.m.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
