Despite the game’s ungodly start time of 9 a.m., the Maspeth native was wide awake and anxious to exact revenge on the Long Island Cardinals for an early…
By Dylan Butler
Mark Foris didn’t need to hit the snooze button before the Bayside Yankees game Saturday morning.
Despite the game’s ungodly start time of 9 a.m., the Maspeth native was wide awake and anxious to exact revenge on the Long Island Cardinals for an early season loss.
“I had no trouble getting up,” Foris said. “Because when I woke up, I had them on my mind.”
The result was a masterful performance from the former St. Francis Prep standout in a complete-game 1-0 shutout in a Liberty tournament game at St. John’s University.
The last time Foris faced the Cardinals, he tossed 4.1 innings of no-hit ball but received a no decision after being pulled for hard-throwing Sean Ellison. An Ellison wild pitch in the ninth inning was the difference as the Cardinals walked away with a 1-0 win June 16.
But this time Foris, who threw only 97 pitches — 61 for strikes — went the distance in another pitchers’ duel with Cardinals ace Anthony Smith that lasted just over an hour and a half.
“He’s the only kid I know who can consistently throw junk behind in the count for strikes,” said Bayside catcher Nick Derba. “He hits the corners on everything he throws. He’s just an excellent pitcher.”
Not overpowering, Foris used his entire arsenal to stymie the Cardinals, scattering four hits, striking out five with just two walks.
“I was in the zone today,” said the U.S. Naval Academy-bound righty. “But I can’t do it without the defense, and they played really well today.”
Cardinals head coach Ian Millman was impressed with Foris’ ability to paint the corners.
“Foris threw a tremendous game,” he said. “He kept us off balance for seven innings, and their defense played very well behind him.”
The best scoring chance for the Cardinals (19-10-1) came in the top of the first when they loaded the bases, but Foris fanned Jason Bonder to end the rally.
Despite the loss, Smith was fantastic again — just as he was against the Senior Americans early in the season. Consistently hitting 89 mph on radar guns, the George Washington-bound lefty allowed just five hits while striking out five without a walk.
“He’s going to be a great college pitcher,” Bayside head coach Marc Cuseta said of Smith. “That kid’s tough.”
Red-hot Bayside (29-7), winner of 10 straight games, scratched across the lone run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Jason Donald, who was selected by the Anaheim Angels in the 20th round of the Major League Draft, singled through the left side of the infield and then reached second on Smith’s only wild pitch of the game.
Donald scampered to third on Mike Baxter’s groundout to first and then scored when Anthony Cacciola just beat out a ground ball in the whole at second for a two-out RBI-infield single.
“I didn’t want this game to go to extra innings,” Cacciola said. “Mark was pitching great all game, I just wanted to get him that one run.”
Added Millman: “Baseball’s a game of inches and today they were a couple of inches better than us.”
Long Island Cardinals 7, Bayside Yankees 5. The Cardinals got revenge Sunday by winning the Liberty tournament, beating the Senior Americans in the title game in eight innings at St. John’s. Smith drove in four runs, including a bases-loaded double in the gap in right-center field to cap a two-out rally in the top of the eighth inning. Andrew Chunn added a two-run double for the Cards.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
