The Center Moriches Red Devils have officially earned the title of best Class B baseball team on Long Island.
This past week, Center Moriches captured the Long Island Class B Championship with a convincing 4-0 victory over Nassau County champion Oyster Bay. The win was powered by a spectacular all-around performance from standout pitcher Dan Gilroy, who tossed a complete-game shutout and contributed offensively as well.
The Red Devils entered the championship game with a 19-3 record and faced an Oyster Bay squad that also won 19 games during the season. However, from the opening pitch, Gilroy made it clear that Center Moriches was ready for the moment.
The New Haven University commit struck out the first batter he faced and quickly settled into a dominant rhythm. Oyster Bay went down in order in the first inning, setting the tone for what would become a frustrating afternoon for the Baymen.
Center Moriches wasted little time providing run support. In the bottom of the first inning, Gilroy helped his own cause by delivering an RBI single to right field, scoring JT Bonventre and giving the Red Devils a 1-0 lead.
That early run proved to be more than enough, but the offense continued to add insurance. Gilroy recorded his first hit allowed in the fourth inning, but Oyster Bay was unable to generate any momentum against the hard-throwing right-hander.
The Red Devils expanded their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Gilroy led off the inning with a double to right-center field before designated hitter Nico Libretti drove him home with an RBI single. Later in the inning, David Spina added another RBI single to push the advantage to 3-0.
Center Moriches added its final run in the fifth inning. After another leadoff double, Gilroy once again delivered, this time with a sacrifice fly to bring home the Red Devils’ fourth run of the game.
By the time the final out was recorded, Gilroy had completed one of the finest performances of his career, striking out 11 batters while allowing just two hits over seven shutout innings.
Now, with a Long Island championship trophy in hand, Gilroy and the Red Devils will turn their attention to an even bigger goal: bringing home a New York State championship.