Winning formula remains in tact for Bayside

Anthony Velazquez and Eric Strauss are no longer their anchors, the one-two punch that spearheaded Bayside’s rotation, but the Commodores haven’t missed a beat through the first third of their league season.
Relying on an array of control specialists and the middle of an order that propelled them to the PSAL Class A quarterfinals each of the last two seasons, Bayside has remained atop Queens East A, undefeated through eight games.
While others have struggled with the citywide advent of wooden bats, the Commodores have thrived, averaging 10 runs per game. They have taken advantage of their chances, as was the case last Friday in an easy 5-0 victory over John Adams.
Senior left fielder Antonio Koulotouros made Spartans right-hander Chris Duran pay for walking two Commodores before him. He thrashed the first delivery he saw in the five-run third inning, ripping a three-run triple down the left field line.
“It’s just adjusting to the pitching,” he said. “Obviously the balls aren’t going to go as far. It’s all about getting short swings, hitting line drives, trying to hit the gaps.”
Bayside scored just twice more, yet it was more than enough for Joseph Delgado. The junior southpaw changed speeds and hit his spots in a seven-inning, five-hit gem, his first varsity win in his first start.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Delgado, who struck out two. “I went in there with butterflies in my stomach and walked off a man.”
Koulotouros was not sure what to expect this season after the graduation of Strauss and Velazquez, their two pitching cornerstones. This group, though, even without the use of aluminum, has proven to be a deeper offensive club, he said, able to manufacture runs and add onto leads. Seniors Jorge Ynoa, Michael Fermin, Kevin Brown are Koulotouros are tops in Queens East A in runs batted in.
“We want to just keep it going,” he said.
He was talking about their hot start, but could also refer to their recent reign as borough dynamos. Expectations were not as high this spring, but here they are again atop the division.
“It’s a certain wave we’ve been riding,” Bayside Manager Pat Torney said. “The young guys are learning what it takes to be at that level. We do not accept just making the playoffs anymore. Our goal is to go as far as possible.”