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2006 Carey Seahawks Roster
1. Intagliata, Frank Senior
2. Chilelli, John Senior
3. Kirell, Adam Senior
4. Brosnan, Jon Senior
5. Zahradka, C.J. Senior
6. Gentile, Vinny Senior
7. Gregorio, Anthony Senior
8. Marciano, Joe Senior
9. Capriglione,Dustin Senior
10.Gottlieb, Brian Senior
11.Humrich, T.J. Junior
12.Santoro, Nick Junior
13.Intagliata, Sal Sophomore
14.Masci, Gianni Sophomore
15.Spanopoulos, Jamie Sophomore
Curtain Closes on '06 Seahawks
If success was measured in championships alone then the Carey Seahawks of 2006 would
have to say that they failed this past season. Obviously, nothing could be further from the truth! In fact this Hawks team
was one of the most inspiring clubs to walk the halls of Carey
High School in quite a long time. So despite dropping their finale to
Massapequa in the quarterfinals of the Nassau County Playoffs 9-3, there were about 100 other reasons to be proud as could be of this
go-getter team.
First off, the friends and fans of the '06 Hawks only got to see the finished product
when it took to the field. The coaches and the players got to enjoy so much more and their start time was drastically different.
Their start time was in early December in an empty weight room four to five times a week. Their start time was at 4PM every
dreary Saturday in the Winter pitching off old wooden doors and hitting tennis balls. Their start time was on the third floor
jogging in the dark singing stupid songs to pass the time by. Their time was spent hanging onto a dream sparked by an unrelenting
coaching staff that they could turn the Carey Baseball Program into a winner. The kicker in all of this is that every player
that came down and gave 100% did so knowing that they might not even make the team come March. In today's day and age that
was the most impressive part of this team's effort.
Early on, after some very difficult deliberations in which close friends and former
players were cut, the roster was finalized. Yet again, this team knew that every decision was made in an effort to make the
'06 Hawks the best team they could be. Mature beyond their years, the team knew they had to trust the coaches and their choices.
With the team picked, the next step to success came by way of a Pre-Opener Friday Night Pride Night. For the players it was
a special time to share their goals together. Several days later they began searching for those goals together on the cozy
confines of St. John's University Baseball Field. It was a special start to the season and it ended with an 11-9 victory.
Unfortunately, the good feelings were tested immediately once League play began. An
opening three game set at Mepham nearly turned into a disaster when the Hawks lost the first two games and nearly blew a six
run lead in the seventh inning of the third game before being rescued by an unlikely hero. Little did they know but it would
be the first of many saves provided by Brian "Good Shiznit" Gottlieb who, after a year on the disabled list as an 11th grader,
would complete one of the greatest pitching seasons ever in a Carey uniform by going 7-0 and a spot on the AA All-Conference
team.
Also taking shape in those first couple of games was a team-wide ability to hit a baseball.
In fact this hammering Hawks club not only hit a baseball they knocked the cover off of it. Double digits became the norm
as the Hawks put up 11, 9, 12, 7, 11 and 23 runs in just the first couple of weeks of the season. Once the pitching caught
up the Hawks went on a roll. They took two out of three from Bellmore-JFK and Calhoun. They swept Elmont and their Non-League
schedule which consisted of Floral Park, West Hempstead and Sewanhaka. At one point the Hawks
reeled off seven straight wins. During that winning streak it also became apparent that there was going to be some serious
reconfiguring of the Carey Baseball record book as at least five records were going to be seriously challenged.
The most exciting of the bunch as always was the Home Run record of eight set by Frank
Intagliata Sr. in 1972. Now it was Frank Jr.'s turn to take it for a spin while John Chilelli rode shotgun. By season's end
they would both come up just short as Frank finished with seven tying for second place All -Time while John would cruise in
as a Bronze Medalist with six to combine for 13 of the team's Long Island leading 26 Home Runs. However, four records would
not be denied. Frank Intagliata, in quite an impressive showing seized control of three of them. His 45 Runs Scored, 40 Hits
and 23 Stolen bases would make him the All-time leader with room to spare. T.J. Humrich whose .547 average led the team, also
carved a spot of his own as he hit gapper after gapper for an All-Time leading Doubles count of 11. With all those Home Runs
and Runs Scored also came a ton of RBI's as five different players reached into the 20's. In fact Carey Hitters and pitchers
stayed in Newsday's Stats Leaderboard all season long.
As expected. as the season wound down, out came the doubters. They showed up just in
time for the playoff approaching Hawks biggest series' of the year against Herricks and MacArthur. In year's past this was
about the time that the Hawks would traditionally close up shop and drop six in a row. However, once again this team was different.
The Hawks got the playoff clincher against Herricks in a 15-13 slugfest before they took two out of three from eventual County
finalist MacArthur further proving that they could play with the best.
Again the loss at Massapequa (25-0) ended a great ride but the resume they built along
the way can never be denied. All in all, they ended up with a 15 wins (15-8) which was the most by a Carey team in nearly
20 years. They earned and won their first playoff win since 1988. The same year that many of this year's team members were
born. They finished in 3rd place in the very successful AA-III League. They scored the most Runs and hit the most Home Runs
in all of LONG ISLAND! Their team batting average of .403 was the highest ever in school history. They had two players earn
All-County. The had four others earn status as All-Conference, All-League and Honorable Mention All-League. As aforementioned,
they had four school records broken while they cracked the top five in eight other school categories.
They also had each player on the team have their own "Shining Moment":
Frank Intagliata-Hitting the first pitch he saw in league play about 400 feet for a
Home run to set the tone for his season as well as the team's.
John Chilelli-Blasting 2 Home Runs in a 15-13 thriller over Herricks.
T.J. Humrich-Setting the Doubles Record in a Playoff win over Plainview JFK.
Brian Gottlieb-Pitching a one hit masterpiece against Bellmore JFK.
Sal Intagliata-Crushing a game winning 3 RBI Triple over Herricks.
C.J. Zahradka-Hitting a monstrous Home Run at Elmont that temporarily made him the number
one RBI man in Long Island halfway through the season.
Dustin Capriglione-His Diving catch against Mepham gave the Hawks a chance to come back
and capture their first League win.
Jamie Spanopoulos-Going for 3 for 4 with a face planting Home Run in an 11-0 whitewash
of Bellmore.
Gianni Masci-Perfecting the crosstown rivalry with West Hempstead by going 4 for 4.
Adam Kirell-A pinch hit double that helped beat MacArthur in the series opener.
Vinny Gentile-Whose season was cut short by illness, still found a way to keep his teammates
fired up from his VIP box seat in RF. His day of glory was one for the ages as he hit for a rare cycle against Bellmore.
Jon Brosnan-Earned a critical save in the rubber match against Calhoun pitching a solid
3 1/3 innings.
Joe Marciano-A 3 for 4 day against Herricks started two rallies.
Anthony Gregorio-Two great catches were complemented by two great hits in a win over
West Hempstead.
Nick Santoro-Singling against Elmont to add to the most lopsided victory in recent memory
25-0
Coach Marc Hedquist-Writing these columns so his $22,000 Stony Brook University English
Degree doesn't go to waste!
Coach Paul LaMarca-On a stellar career as he turns in his fungo for a fishing pole.
Hopefully all future Coaches at Carey can follow his model of professionalism both on and off the field.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't thank all of the parents who attended the games
religiously. A special thanks from the Carey Coaches for all of your suport and understanding. Also a big thanks to Mr. Intagliata
and the Island Garden Staff and a big thanks to Dr. Kirell for helping out with the Bellmore face demolition. Hopefully we
will see all of you at the Varsity Awards dinner on May 30th 6PM on Gym, so we can enjoy one last evening with this great
group.
Spirit of '88 Spurs Seahawks
Spurred on by their first ever playoff appearance in the AA post-season dance, the Seahawks
broke out the whipping sticks early and often in an 11-7 slugfest victory over Plainview-JFK.
The win was also the first playoff victory in 18 years for the Seahawks who last won a previous
home playoff game in 1988, according to former Coach Bob Walpole who was on hand for the festivities as he remains one of
Carey Baseball's biggest supporters.
The hammering Hawks rang the bell 15 times including seven doubles. Frank " I break records"
Intagliata went 3 for 4 with two doubles and three runs scored. With Frank's second inning double he also became the All-Time
Carey High School Hits Leader with 39. A third inning single moved that record to 40 which is now two more than Phil and Steve
Tursellino's 38 set in 1982 and 1986, respectively.
For Intagliata that was his third school record breaker set in the last two weeks, as he
now has only the Average and HR records left in sight. Adding to the record book fun was T.J. Humrich whose two doubles in
a 3 for 4 day moved his single season count to 11 making him the new doubles leader in Carey Baseball history. Tough times
for the Tursellino's continued as Steve ('85) saw that one fall also.
Other sterling contributions on this big day for the Seahawks came from Sal "Brown Bear"
Intagliata who went 3 for 3 with two runs scored, Jamie "WHAT!" Spanopoulos, 2 for 4 with 3 RBI's, Dustin "Mr. Met" Capriglione
who had a huge two run, two out double in the first to go along with a patented 9-3 Carey Arena Baseball putout to save a
run in the third, Brian "Lazy Lunch" Gottlieb (8 Strikeouts) who pulled another Al Davis "Just Win Baby!" to raise his record
to a sparkling 7-0, and Gianni "Cyrano De Bergenac" Masci who literally took one for the team as a bad hop shot at third base
turned into a very scary broken nose for the super Soph. Of course only Gianni could turn a frightening situation like that
into a true Masci Moment when the dazed and confused hot cornerman asked his poor Dad, "Hey What the Hell are you doing on
the Field?"
Believe it or not, the injury had two negative impacts as the Hawks were left without their
starting 3-bagger and they watched as the momentum also turned south as the rattled Hawks lost their edge when Masci went
down. The Hawks bats from innings four through six went cold before the defense took a break as well which of course somehow
found a way to include the Men in Blue as well. The 11-2 lead quickly dwindled in the sixth as a dropped third strike was
not converted before two hellacious calls by the umpires gave Plainview some life at 11-7 with one inning to play.
Moving to the last stanza the Hawks bent but didn't break as they stranded two runners on
base after an error and a double to wrap up the big win in style as Gottlieb fanned the last two hitters.
Unfortunately, the Seahawks only get to enjoy the fruits of their labor for just one night
as the AA-III's David next travel to Massapequa (22-0) to face the AA Goliaths on Tuesday 4:30PM in the AA quarterfinals.
The Chiefs who are currently ranked number one in Nassau County advanced to the Quarters with their own 11-5 win over fellow
AA-III Herricks who despite the loss are also still alive as all four teams from AA-III showed that our Conference really
was the most balanced of the three.
MacMeltdown Mars Finale
Uncharacteristic is about the most politically correct term that can be used to describe
Saturday's MacArthur meltdown as the Seahawks wasted their best opportunity ever to sweep the Nassau County powerhouse. An
outsider might say, "wow the Seahawks only lost by a run 6-5 , it must have been a good game." An insider would definitely
say, "wow the Seahawks really shot themselves in the foot" after committing 8 errors and two colossal boneheaded running plays
including the ultimate Sherm on the hidden ball trick which was last seen in the movie "Little Big League."
Surely, you'd like to head into the playoffs with a full head of steam but sometimes, maybe,
just maybe, a derailing like this might be a blessing in disguise. Hopefully that is the case because the best part of baseball
is you get to rectify your mistakes a lot quicker than you do in a sport like football where the sting stays with you for
a week. Having said that, the Seahawks could definitely say they found a silver lining in yesterday's loss.
First off, the Hawks put together their fourth consecutive solid outing on the mound as
hard luck loser Adam "Coach, I just added a new pitch" Kirell had his best performance since last year's Calhoun masterpiece.
Kirell went 5 2/3 innings allowing only one earned run while striking out five and walking only one, which we all agree should
have been a bases loaded punchout. More importantly, Kirell had command of all his pitches which came in handy when he had
to shut down several two out rallies. Having Kirell in a good frame of mind can only help the Hawks as they now have 5-6 starting
pitchers peaking just in time for the playoffs. Throw in Joe "Shades" Marciano's scoreless 6th inning yesterday and you have
an entire staff primed and ready for any action that they might see.
Hitting wise, C.J. "Nice Plastic White Sunglasses" Zahradka broke out of his mini slump
by posting a 2 for 3 afternoon. Frank "Runs Scored" Intagliata had his second three hit game in a row. T.J. "Yes the Playoff
Stats Count" Humrich had two hits including his team leading 9th double. Dustin "Band-Aids" Capriglione one-hopped an impressive
double off the wall in left straight into the teeth of a 30 mile an hour wind and Gianni "Where's my Fence Estimate?" Masci
added two more hits to go along with 2 RBI's.
Lastly, the Hawks tried everything in their power to lose yesterday's game. However, it
was still only a one run loss to a team that rarely loses at home, to a team that has won five of last six League Championships
and to a team that will begin the playoffs as the number two seed in the County.
Therefore, the 8th seeded Seahawks must take those silver linings and apply them to their
Monday matchup against Plainview-JFK, 4:30PM, as they prepare for their first home playoff game in over 20 years. It was a
goal set in a health classroom seven months ago and now it is a reality. So take what's yours Seahawks!!!!
Seahawks Jolt Generals Again
With a 'free' game in hand, the relaxed and ready playoff-bound Seahawks took to the field
for what could very well be their final home game of the season. For 10 seniors it would possibly be a permanent finale at
the place that they have called home since little league.
Knowing full well that another win against MacArthur might get them a 3rd place finish and
a better seeding, the Seahawks went right in for the kill again in inning number one. Frank "The Violin" Intagliata opened
the scoring by crushing the first pitch he saw for his 3rd leadoff Home Run of the season and 7th overall. 'Franco' now sits
just one Home Run shy of his Dad's school record of eight set in 1972 with at least two games to play. John "Hook 'Em Horns"
Chilelli followed with a double before later scoring on Sal "The Fireman" Intagliata's sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 after
one.
MacArthur scratched out a run in the second to halve the lead at 2-1. In the third, Frank
Intagliata's second hit and subsequent steal garnered the Hawks a third run when Sal Intagliata cashed in on another sacrifice
fly to make it 3-1. One inning later Dustin "Stitch Finger" Capriglione tripled and scored on a Joe "Eddie Gadell" Marciano's
single to right for a 4-1 lead.
Heading to the bottom of the sixth the Hawks hoped to tack on the ever important 'insurance'
run. Fortunately that took care of itself just two pitches in when Capriglione launched his 3rd Home run of the season to
straight away center for a 5-1 margin. Marciano singled two batters later to start another rally. After a forceout and a third
hit by Frank Intagliata, the Hawks took advantage of a wild pickoff throw to move the lead to five at 6-1.
On the hill, T.J. "Atomic Balm" Humrich was cruising having stranded five runners through
six while allowing just five hits. Of course, no Generals team will go down without a fight which in this instance was nice
to see. It would give the Hawks a chance to really earn another tight one. Granted it didn't need to be this tight! After
a single and a walk, Humrich got the nine hitter to sky to Capriglione for out number one. After another single the Hawks
just missed ending the game on another double play as Marciano throw to first was a just a hair late to allow a third run
to score. That was followed by a single and two walks to make it 6-4 with the bases loaded. Clearly, after 109 pitches Humrich
was out of gas. With usual ace reliever C.J. "Thanks for the Balloons, Mrs. Z." Zahradka resting up a stiff elbow the Hawks
turned to their Mariano of the future Sal Intagliata, in hopes of shutting down the threat. For Intagliata it would be only
his second appearance of the year but one that he would remember for a while if he was successful. Well successful he was,
as he induced a fly ball to Capriglione to end the game and send the Carey Crazies home again smiling from ear to ear.
For the Hawks third place was doubly clinched when news of Calhoun's sweep of Mepham hit
the airways. The 11-6 (14-6 Overall) Seahawks wrap up their set against MacArthur on Friday in Levittown before awaiting their
Monday afternoon playoff opponent.
Seahawks Kick In Playoff Door
Only Sherms use the service entrance! Vying for their first playoff appearance in four years,
the 2006 Seahawks had no interest in scoreboard watching, rooting for other schools or backing into the playoffs. If a berth
was going to be seized it was going to be done with authority and with the hit-happy Hawks of '06 completely in control.
And so it was, as the Carey Seahawks, Nassau's longtime doormat, scored a thrilling 7-6
come from behind win over Nassau powerhouse MacArthur, the P-word could finally be spoken. The goal founded during snowy winter
workouts running on Saturday afternoons in December or doing those crazy Hedquist aerobics while basketball teams came to
play in January, or pitching off old exit doors with floors getting scratched and Varsity guys blaming the rookies finally
became worth it. In life when hard work is rewarded there is justice! That justice is the a ticket to the 2006 AA Playoffs
which will commence May 22nd with an opponent and time to be announced.
The win certainly gave the Hawks a huge reason to smile and it concluded a day that began
rather inauspiciously when it was determined that Head Sherm Vinny Gentile would be out indefinitely with a serious case of
Mono. Not only was his loss a blow to the morale of the team who look to the gregarious Sherm for inspiration but it also
put a little more pressure on the pitching staff as Gentile's guiding hand would now be unavailable.
After a two days of rain postponements, Coach LaMarca opted to alter the pitching rotation
as he handed the ball to Carey Ace Brian "6-Pack" Gottlieb who would be paired against MacArthur's Ace Rob Vitale in an exciting
playoff atmosphere type opener.
Gottlieb soared out of gate early retiring the side in the top of the first. The Hawks responded
in the bottom half when T.J. "Hamstring" Humrich began a two out rally with a single. Sal "Wash That Orange T-Shirt" Intagliata
followed with a walk, who in turn watched as both C.J. "Giambi" Zahradka and Dustin "Steel Nerves" Capriglione (2 for 3, 3
RBI's) singled to push the Hawks ahead 2-0. Like the first place team that they are, MacArthur responded with two of their
own to even it at 2-2 before the Hawks turned in the first of their two huge double plays to squash the rally.
In the bottom of the second, Gianni "Gold Glove" Masci and Jamie "Cute Socks" Spanopoulos
did a little fence duty with consecutive doubles to put the Hawks ahead at 3-2. That lead see-sawed back to the Generals in
the top of the third and top of the fourth when multiple two out letdowns allowed two runs to score in the third and one run
to score in the fourth for a 5-3 MacArthur lead.
Fortunately, the Hawks, due in large part to Gottlieb's gritty performance and solid, errorless
defense, were able to keep the Generals from really getting too far in front. After a bunt basehit became a sixth run and
a three run deficit, the Hawks were left searching for a clutch hit that didn't appear to be ready for prime time. That all
changed in the bottom of the sixth inning. An inning that would define a season.
Sal Intagliata led off with an HBP, sometimes you really do "take one for the team!" Next,
Zahradka worked out a nine pitch walk. Capriglione singled home Intagliata and advanced to second on a poor cutoff throw.
Masci grounded out softly to short to score Zahradka to close the Hawks within one at 6-5. Up next came the unlikeliest of
heroes, Adam "Santino" Kirell, who was called on to pinch hit with the tying run just 90 feet away. After a called first strike,
Kirell laced a frozen rope down the left field line for a game tying double. Jon "Yo-Yo" Brosnan pinch ran for Kirell but
unfortunately couldn't overcome his separation anxiety with second base as he refused to leave the bag after a bloop single
by Spanopoulos was nearly caught. Finally, Frank "Franco" Intagliata's infield single loaded the bases for John "Texas Art
Boy" Chilelli whose slow roller to third was booted for the go ahead run. As always, put it in play and could things do happen!
Back on the hill for the seventh Gottlieb quickly dispatched the MacArthur clean up hitter
on a hard grounder to third where Masci (7 Assists) sparkled again. A single followed, further pushing the Hawks faithful
to the edge of their seat. Gottlieb then ran behind in the count before he cooly showed why he asked to be "the man." Because
"the man", whoever it may be, wants the ball hit to him. In this case it was Gottlieb as he engineered a fitting 1-6-3 double
play and a spot at the playoff table.
Just hours after the game the win took on an even greater role when it was discovered the
Calhoun surprisingly beat Mepham again. From here a Carey Win or Mepham loss will give the already clinched Hawks a third
place finish and a possible home playoff game. Stay tuned as the Hawks return to play at home again on Thursday for game two
of this final series. The "House Money Game" will also give the Hawks a shot at reassessing their long term season goals because
now that we are invited to the dance we've got to come up with some moves.
Hawks Clincher Put On Hold
Sometimes the script doesn't go as planned. For once it wasn't football at Hofstra.
It wasn't hoops and Coach Kelly's pancakes. It wasn't softball at Mitchell Field with Mr. Turco's County Champs. No, it was
perennial bottom dweller, Carey Seahawks Baseball that was finally center stage. At stake was a baseball playoff spot for
only the second time since 1988.
Adding to the drama was the surprise, as well as Varsity debut, start for Sophomore
Jamie "Bulldog" Spanopoulos who was filling in for the 4-0 T.J. "Hamstring" Humrich. Throw in the Carey Crazies who made the
trek to Seahawks Field for the first time and you had all the makings of a great storyline.
Early on Spanopoulos was on the money as he kept the William Wallace Highlanders and
their potent 3-4-5 hitters in check. Through two innings Spanopoulos was only tagged for a run scoring Arena baseball double
to put the Hawks in a 1-0 hole.
In the third the well went dry as two 0-2 counts were wasted as a Home Run and a double
were turned into a 3-0 deficit for the Hawks. Hoping for that breakout inning of their own the Hawks looked to Frank "New
Carey Run King" Intagliata in the bottom of the third as his team leading 17th walk started a rally. Dustin "Heartbeat of
the Hawks" Capriglione followed with an infield hit to put men on first and second. John "Sweaty Palms" Chilelli next watched
helplessly as his shot to right was blown right into play by a strong southern wind for an easy out. Sal "Big Brother is Watching!"
Intagliata followed with a hard single to get the Hawks on board and make it 3-1. Unfortunately the buck stopped there as
C.J. "Hanging Limb" Zahradka and Gianni "Get to Science Class" Masci couldn't get the runners across. It would be a theme
that would play a part again and again.
Reaching the fourth still down 3-1 the Hawks again looked to their leadoff man Frank
Intagliata who singled with two out to move Spanopoulos, who previously singled, to second. Capriglione followed with an RBI
single and Chilelli singled before Sal Intagliata drew a bases loaded walk for the equalizer at 3-3. Next came the pivotal
moment of the game as Zahradka's grounder in the hole looked like it might be enough to give the Hawks the lead. Instead it
was turned into a bang bang play at first that resulted in a great slide but unfortunately better tag by the Herricks first
basemen to squash the rally. Realistically, even though the Hawks would subsequently strand 11 runners, it was their best
last chance of the game.
From there it was a classic pitchers duel as neither hill-dweller would budge. Two potent
offenses were left scratching their heads as pitch count clickers were thrown out the window and sheer guts and determination
were on display. Bend but don't break was in vogue and the teams were left without a hero. LOB, left on base, would definitely
be the stat talked about most come Friday morning.
After going down quietly in the 7th, the Hawks were tagged for three in the top of the
eighth, as an intentional walk came back to bite them on the butt, to give Herricks the 6-3 lead which was never challenged
in the bottom half. And so you had the Carey Crazies, who were great except for one R-Rated moment, an exhausted Spanopoulos,
a 38 runs scored scoring King, and a near capacity hopeful crowd sent away disappointed.
From here heading to the final week of the season, it is very simple, the Seahawks magic
number is still one. Any Seahawks win or Calhoun loss and the Hawks are in. Hopefully the Hawks can take care of their own
backyard because rooting for Mepham would be like rooting for the N.Y. Islanders. Some things in life you just can't do!!!!!!
Softball Seahawks Outslug Herricks 15-13
Seahawks Baseball. Down but never out, not when you can score more frequently than the local
guys with their flabby pot bellies and matching pink t-shirts on a Sunday morning at Rath Park, not when you have the top
two Home Run leaders in Nassau County, not when you have scored the most runs in Long Island, not when you ring up 19 hits
and certainly not when you think you have finally got the Hawks explosive bats under wraps.
Such was the case as the Seahawks took to the field against the Herricks Highlanders in
game two of their quest for second place. The Hawks were looking for a bounce back game after dropping the opener 11-8. What
they got was a lesson in never giving up as they erased 3-0, 5-2, 5-3 and 8-5 leads only to see the game come down to the
last inning.
Earlier the see-saw battle saw Herricks become the first team all season to figure out Carey
Ace Brian "Good Shiznit" Gottlieb as they plated runs in innings one, three and four. Of the 13 runs allowed only 7 were earned
but it was still almost four times what Gottlieb allowed all season. However, sometimes you just have to find a way which
the 5-0 Gottlieb did.
Battling back from the deficit of 5-2 was led by the long ball as John "Bonds" Chilelli
launched a bomb over the rightfield wall to cut it to 5-3. One inning later the neutralizer sprung off the bat of Frank "The
Hitting Junkie" Intagliata who tabbed his sixth Home Run of the season to make it 5-5. In doing so Intagliata also tied 2001's
Terry Huang with the most runs scored in Carey Baseball History with 36.
Some shoddy defense led to another three runs to make it 8-5 Herricks before four consecutive
singles by C.J. "Cool as Can Be" Zahradka, Gianni "Grins" Masci, Joe "Check Swing" Marciano and Gottlieb made it 9-8. The
Seahawks tacked on two more after a second Chilelli Moon Pie and another two out single by Masci made it 11-8 heading into
the sixth.
With Gottlieb working on fumes, and the pitch count crazies freaking out like fish out of
water, the Hawks made another huge defensive gaffe in the outfield to allow the Highlanders to even things up at 11-11 heading
into the seventh.
Gottlieb stayed hot at the dish as he lead off with a ground rule double over the LF fence.
Jamie "Spandex Swimsuit" Spanopoulos sacrificed Gottlieb to third on a picture perfect bunt setting the table for Frank Intagliata
with just one out. Unfortunately, an over-anxious Intagliata popped up to left field. Next came the at bat of the year as
Dustin "It's All About the Team" Capriglione fought off pitch after pitch before securing first base with a surgeon-like walk
to make it first and third. Next came Chilelli, whose 700 feet of Home Runs earned him his first intentional pass to load
the bases and create the game's climatic moment as Sal "Nice Move Coach of the Year" Intagliata strode to the plate.
Sophomores usually don't get too insulted by much at the Varsity level, they are usually
happy to "just be part of it," but when your error allowed the game to be tied and the guy in front of you was just walked
in order to pitch to you there is just so much you can take. And so with the bases loaded, Intagliata, ripped a bases clearing
triple over the centerfielder's head to make it 14-11. Plain and simple...sometimes there is justice in baseball. From there
Zahradka singled in Intagliata to make it 15-11 as Zahradka's day was about to become just as exciting.
As much as he tried to finish what he started, Gottlieb was out of gas. So in came Zahradka
as Gottlieb went to first. Zahradka quickly got two outs, inducing Herricks sluggers into weak pop ups off smooth curves that
they never expected to see. With the Hawks closing in on victory, their defense hiccuped again allowing the winning run to
come to the plate at 15-13 with two men on. Fortunately, Zahradka quickly got ahead before a Major League pop-up landed safely
in Gottlieb's borrowed first base mitt for the final out and one huge sigh of relief as the Carey Cardiacs inched one step
closer to their first playoff berth in four years.
The Cardiac kids now get a day off as they hope for some nice weather as they close out
the rubber match on Thursday with second place at stake.
Hawks Halted By Highlanders
All good things must come to an end. And so it went for the Seahawks whose seven game winning
streak was finally halted by the Herricks Highlanders 11-8 in an AA-III thriller.
Missed opportunities at the plate and an inability to get the crucial third out on several
occasions knocked the Hawks from second place all the way to fourth as they now stand at 8-5 with five games left.
From the beginning the Hawks mantra has been 'just put the ball in play and good things
will happen.' That was certainly evident early as the Hawks took advantage of several Herricks gaffes to plate four of their
eight runs in the unearned column. Conversely, the Hawks also did themselves in by striking out a whopping 11 times, two of
which when runners were in scoring position.
Quietly they did bang out 12 hits, including an impressive 3 for 4 day from Joe "Tints"
Marciano and a 2 for 3 day from Dustin "Birthday Party" Capriglione but when the big hit was needed for that 'big inning'
the Hawks fell just short. The biggest blow came in the 6th when the Hawks, still down by one, left the bases loaded as a
flyout to center ended their final threat.
More painful to watch were the Hawks two out mishaps as they allowed two runs in the first,
three runs in the third and two more in the sixth to come home after coming up with big second outs only to watch someone
else get key two out hits. To be honest that's what a winning team does which is why the Seahawks left today's game with a
stinging 'L'.
Fortunately, the Hawks will have every opportunity to get right back in the groove on Tuesday
as they hope to even the series and get one step closer to their playoffs goal.
On a comical note it is now official, based on today's game, that there will be a 29th team
for the dodgeball tournament tentatively called LaMarca's Cow Tippers who currently open at 1.6 million to 1! :)
Bob Walpole Classic IV---Seahawks Scalp Indians
For the fourth straight year the Bob Walpole Classic, which honors the 32 years of dedicated
service to the H.F. Carey community by former Physical Education Teacher and Baseball Coach Mr. Walpole, went exactly as planned
as the Seahawks scalped the Sewanhaka Indians 12-4 to remain undefeated in the Classic.
As always the game was highlighted by the ceremonial first pitch. After shaking off Vinny
"Sherm-King" Gentile's request for a folly floater, Mr. Walpole reared back and fired a 4-seam heater over the heart of the
plate as both teams applauded respectfully. From there it was game on and time to get down to business. The Hawks, after a
slow first inning, made their charge in the second inning for the third time in four games as they plated five runs. Dustin
"Mr. Met" Capriglione who would later Homer, scored first after singling to right. Gianni "Hot Corner" Masci, Joe "Sandbox"
Marciano, Frank "Foul Ball" Intagliata and T.J. "Hamstring" Humrich would also all come around to score.
In the third the Hawks would punch in five more as both Capriglione and Humrich would provide
a little long ball. It was the second of the year for Capriglione and the first for Humrich who would unfortunately come up
lame after legging out his shot. Fortunately for Humrich he was able to put enough time on the hill to gain his fourth win
of the year tying him with Brian "Gilligan" Gottlieb for the team lead. That coupled with his 2 for 2 performance, earned
Humrich his second consecutive Most Valuable Player Award for the BWC.
The Hawks attack would round out the day with an even dozen as Sophomore Jamie "What" Spanopoulos
would later add his third Home Run of the year to finish the scoring.
The win was the seventh straight for the Hawks who now rest up before the two biggest series
in recent memory as the push for the AA-III playoffs resumes at home on Monday May 8th against the Herricks Highlanders at
4:45PM.
Seahawks Streak Hits Six.
Sal "Samurai" Intagliata's running grab in the left field alley with two men on and
two outs in the fifth inning gave the Seahawks the clutch defensive play that they were looking for as they escaped West Hempstead
with a sloppy 10-8 Non-League victory.
The win was the sixth straight for the Seahawks who now head into their bye week
at 10-4 Overall and 8-4 in League play. The win was also their fourth in as many days. Certainly fatigue played a bit of a
factor in the close game against a Rams team that they easily out-talent. It was as if the Hawks just didn’t seem to
have that jump that they had all week. However, when their seemingly insurmountable 10-0 lead evaporated they still showed
that Winners will still get it done. That was never more evident than the intensity brought by C.J. “Fireman”
Zahradka who nixed any attempt at a complete comeback when he shut down seven of the eight final batters to earn his first
save of the year.
Zahradka’s efforts also ensured that Jon “Sasquatch” Brosnan
would leave West Shermstead with his first win of the season. Brosnan’s line for the day ended with four innings pitched,
four strikeouts, six walks and four earned runs. Zahradka’s total’s concluded with three innings pitched, two
strikeouts, two walks and two earned runs.
At the plate, Gianni “Cell Phone” Masci picked up from where he left
off at Elmont as he went 4 for 4 with two doubles and two RBI’s. Sal Intagliata had a triple and two RBI’s as
he went 2 for 3. T.J. “Buzzcut” Humrich also had a triple in a 2 for 4 showing. And lastly, Anthony “Big
League Chew” Gregorio in his first start of the season in Right Field went 2 for 4 with 1 RBI. He was robbed of another
hit in the top of the seventh but quickly returned the favor as he gobbled up both balls hit to him in the bottom of the seventh,
one of which included the final out.
The high flying Seahawks now get to enjoy a restful bye week with only the Walpole
Classic on the docket before they hit the final stretch with their playoff future in their own hands as the 2006 campaign
quickly winds down.
Sherm-Less Hawks Splatter Spartans 25-1
Despite playing without their spiritual leader Vinny "Sherm Placement" Gentile, the Seahawks
were somehow able to muster up enough energy to completely demolish an obviously overmatched Elmont Spartans club 25-1 to
complete the Seahawks first season series sweep in nearly four years.
C.J. "Car Window Breaker" Zahradka, John "School Window Breaker" Chilelli, Gianni "Calhoun
Girls Heart Breaker" Masci and Jamie "Concentration Breaker" Spanopoulos all belted Home runs as the Hawks as a team now have
16 on the season. Dustin "SJU Hairspray" Capriglione, Sal "Two Outs" Intagliata and T.J. "Sneezy" Humrich all barely missed
round trippers themselves as they knocked around the defenseless chain links in the Spartans outfield fence.
Frank "Really Coach I can pitch!" Intagliata, Joe "Sand Wedge" Marciano, Brian "My Arm's
GS' Gottlieb, Nick "Rasheed Wallace" Santoro and Anthony "Gumball" Gregorio all added to the 22 hits total. For the team oriented
Santoro and Gregorio, it was their first hits of the season. The Seahawks finished the week with a 53-4 edge in runs and a
53-4 edge in hits as the Spartans finally cried "Uncle" after five innings. The shortened innings were just what the Doctor
ordered as Humrich and Sal Intagliata combined on a 1 hit, 1 run gem that boosted Humrich's record to 3-0.
The Seahawks finish the three day road trip at West Hempstead tomorrow before waiting a
week to meet Sewanhaka in the Bob Walpole Classic next Friday May 5th at home as the Hawks conclude their non-league schedule.
Seahawks Shutout Spartans
Brian "Button That Shirt" Gottlieb continued his winning ways as he threw his second shutout
of the season in a 15-0 whitewash of the hapless Elmont Spartans. Gottlieb was spectacular again as he struck out a career
high 14 while only allowing two hits. Gottlieb's 4-0 record now includes a one hitter, a two hitter and a miniscule ERA of
0.33.
At the plate the Hawks, who actually didn't seem to hit as well as they have been, did get
a surprising 17 hits on the afternoon. This time Dustin "Downtown" Capriglione led the charge as he tattooed his first Home
Run of the season. His three run shot in the first inning was all the Hawks would need as they scored 14 runs after just two
innings before calling off the dogs for the second straight game. Also having big days with the stick were T.J. "Doubles"
Humrich who went 4 for 4 with three RBI's. John "Shotgun" Chilelli had two more hits to go with four RBI's. Frank "I sleep
with my bat" Intagliata had another multiple hit game as he went 3 for 3. Vinny "Warning Track Power" Gentile had two singles.
C.J. "6-4-3" Zahradka had another RBI. Gianni "Trips" Masci chipped in with a single, and lastly, Sal "Knee Surgery" Intagliata
fought off a nasty curve :) for a single.
The 7-4 Hawks wrap up the series at Elmont again tomorrow as they look for their fifth straight
win as they continue to climb the AA-III standings.
Seahawks Slay Spartans
The 6-4 Seahawks rolled to their third consecutive win as they opened the Elmont series
with a workmanlike 13-3 victory. Five different Hawks put in some yardwork as the offense rang up 14 more hits. Frank "I don't
fetch foul balls" Intagliata drilled his fifth Home Run of the season inching him even closer to his Dad's H.F. Carey record
of 8 held in 1972. Brother Sal "I don't carry helmet bags" Intagliata smashed his first Home Run of the season to go along
with a double and a single. Unfortunately, Sal's consecutive hits streak finally ended at 9 with a sixth inning force out.
John "Rollercoaster" Chilelli doubled and hit his third Home Run of the season to pair up with two RBI's. C.J. "Stretch" Zahradka
unloaded his first career Home Run on a first inning blast that had fans wondering if there was a movie on that flight. And
lastly, Gianni "Bricks" Masci also hit his first career Home Run on a sixth inning laser that shot right past a defenseless
Elmont Left Fielder.
On the hill, Adam "I only throw 90 pitches" Kirell rang up six solid innings allowing no
earned runs while striking out a career high 10 batters. The Seahawks hit the road for the rest of the week as they go to
Elmont on Wednesday and Thursday before completing their second Non-League game at neighboring West Hempstead on Friday.
Seahawks Clobber Calhoun
Sal "No Signs Please" Intagliata connected with John "The Stare"Chilelli on a 42 yard pass
play with 4:39 left in the fourth quarter to give the Hawks a commanding 22-12 lead that....Ooops! Sorry wrong season.
Actually, the Seahawks hitters left Calhoun pitching begging for mercy after a second consecutive
thumping 22-12 that gave the Hawks their second straight series win. The Hawks pounded out 22 hits to match their runs total.
John Chilelli posted a 4 for 6 outing with an opposite field Grand Slam and 5 RBI's. Frank "Ipod" Intagliata went 2 for 4
with two RBI's, two more stolen bases and his Nassau County leading fourth Home Run. Brother Sal recorded his second consecutive
3 for 3 day. C.J. "Giambi" Zahradka had three hits and four more RBI's. Brian "Sun Tan" Gottlieb had two singles. Vinny "The
Ultimate Sherm" Gentile had two hits to go along with another dazzling day behind the dish playing in the dirt. Joe "I Eat
Line Drives" Marciano, Dustin "RF's are People too, Coach" Capriglione, Adam "I Hit Bombs, Coach" Kirell all had singles to
finalize the scoresheet.
On the hill, T.J. "What's it take to get my Name Right?" Humrich (3 for 5, 3 RBI's) and
Jon "Nasty!!!" Brosnan combined to keep the Colts in check. Humrich was awarded the win as he gave up no earned runs through
3.66 innings while Brosnan whiffed six batters in just 3.33 innings.
The 5-4 Seahawks now sit in fourth place in Conference AA-III just 1.5 games out of first
with three series' left. Their next opponent will be District rival Elmont starting at home 4PM on Tuesday April 25th.
Seahawks Kick Colts 14-2
Playing with the kind of determination that showed that they let game one slip away, the
revved up Hawks brought the lumber early and often in a 14-2 pasting of the Calhoun Colts.
The offense was paced by John "Sliding Specialist" Chilelli, Sal "Waffle Iron" Intagliata
and T.J. "Will Newsday get my name right?" Humrich who each went 3 for 3. They were also responsible for eight of the team's
14 RBI's. Joe "Marshmallow" Marciano smacked two basehits, a double and a single for his first two hits of the season. Vinny
"Sherm" Gentile added a Carey double. C.J. "Stretch" Zahradka chipped in with another RBI. Frank "The Burglar" Intagliata
also had a single but made his real presence known on the basepaths as he set a H.F. Carey single game record with 6 Stolen
Bases. And lastly, Brian "I'm not Lazy. I am Pacing Myself" Gottlieb went two for three, but more importantly Gottlieb once
again picked up the Hawks on the mound when they needed a bounce back performance. Gottlieb scattered five hits over six innings
allowing only one earned run while striking out four. Gottlieb's record now stands at 3-0 as he has beaten each of Carey's
first three league opponents. A big thanks to Brian's brother James, a former Carey Seahawk himself, for the support at today's
game.
The 4-4 Seahawks play the rubber match tomorrow at 10:30AM at Calhoun.
Hawks Lose Pitchers' Duel 4-3
Punch for punch. That's how the opening game in Calhoun series went until a last inning
Home Run sent the Seahawks packing in a 4-3 misstep.
Wasted in the loss was a solid effort by Adam "Santino" Kirell who, went the distance (6.3
innings), struck out three, walked three and only gave up two earned runs. A two out hiccup in the second allowed two unearned
runs to score. They would subsequently come back to the haunt the Hawks on this day when runs were at a premium as Calhoun
fireballer turned junk man Chris Weidlein became the first pitcher all season to shut down the vaunted Carey offense.
Dustin "Fat Vito's Gotta Go, Coach!" Capriglione led the sticks as Weidlein posed no problem
for the 3 for 3 and 1 RBI Capriglione. The Seahawks scored all of their runs in the fourth when John "Boo-Boo feeling better"
Chilelli singled and stole second. T.J. "Hair Guy" Humrich singled him home and advanced on the throw before stealing third.
And then C.J. "The Original Hair Guy" Zahradka laced a two strike single to score Humrich. Two batters later, Capriglione
gave the Hawks their only lead of the day 3-2.
Unfortunately, the Hawks couldn't hold off the Colts in the late innings defensively and
offensively the Hawks simply didn't put the ball in play. Five out of the last six batters struck out and it was all she wrote
for the Seahawks who must now duplicate their two in a row streak for the second straight week. Checking the standings page
confirms that the AA-III logjam continues as six out of seven teams are still in great shape for the top four playoff spots.
Seahawks Crush Cougars 23-9
Sherm Alert! Vinny "OS" Gentile has left the building! Following up Tuesday's one-hit gem,
the Seahawks put together another stellar performance by lasering 20 hits in a 23-9 shellacking of the Bellmore Cougars. Four
of the hits were peppered off the bat of Mr. Vin who broke out of a season long slump with a huge 7 RBI career day. Gentile
doubled in the second, singled in the fourth, crushed a 3-run bomb in the fifth, and cruised into third in the sixth to complete
the offensive version of the no-hitter.
Besides Gentile, nine other Seahawks reached base safely. Smilin' Sal Intagliata went 2
for 3 with 2 RBI and two steals. Frank "Franco" Intagliata tacked on two more hits to go along with four runs scored. John
"Boo-Boo" Chilelli swatted two more curves into basehit land. One of which included a ground rule double that had Coach Tufano
and the Lax crew ducking for cover. Gianni "Grounds Crew Chief" Masci broke out of his own funk by singling twice. C.J. "Speedster"
Zahradka added two hits to go along with three RBI's. Unfortunately for Zahradka, Carey's Arena baseball field and a hole
in the fence turned his 390 foot shot into a ground rule double when even the fleet-footed Zahradka would have touched 'em
all. And lastly, other hits were supplied by Dustin "Mr. Happy" Capriglione (2 for 3), Adam "Santino Corleone" Kirell, a single,
Jonathan "I am Better than that other Jon Brosnan Guy! Brosnan, a single and Brian "Good Shiznit" Gottlieb, a single.
T.J. "P.J." Humrich garnered his first victory by throwing five solid innings. He allowed
three earned runs while striking out four.
The Red-Hot Hawks 3-3 next travel to Calhoun 3-3 where they begin another crucial series
with the winner hoping to gain an edge in the 2006 playoff chase.
Seahawks Blank Bellmore 11-0
Behind the right arm of Brian "GS" Gottlieb and the Sophomore stick of Jamie "The Face Breaker"
Spanopoulos, the Seahawks quickly and efficiently distanced themselves from the opening game blip against Bellmore as they
took game two 11-0 to even the series at 1-1.
Gottlieb's masterful one-hit, nine strikeout, complete game performance had only one small
blemish, a weak liner that barely eluded first basemen C.J "Haircut 100" Zahradka (3 for 5) in the bottom of the fifth. For
Gottlieb, as well as for the rest of the Hawks pitching staff, the gem was a long time coming and should definitely be a boost
to the overall morale of the Hawk hurlers.
Offensively, the hitting and runs batted in were provided almost exclusively by Spanopoulos,
who after working on his stroke at the JV level, came back to the Varsity level with a vengeance as he swatted a triple and
a Home Run for a 5 RBI day. And whether it is football or baseball, Spanopoulos always knows how to leave a lasting impression
as his Home Run led to an unfortunate fence collision for the JFK Centerfielder who will not soon forget the day he met "The
Walloping Wide Load."
Adding to the satisfying win was the fact that the Seahawks were finally able to seize on
another team's mistakes as the Hawks converted on all three Cougar errors for a total of five runs. Also, John "I Eat Curveballs
for Breakfast" Chilelli (3 for 5, 3 SB's) and T.J. ""What Time Is It?" Humrich (3 for 4, triple) had huge two out run scoring
hits that have been absent from the Hawks lineup for the first couple of weeks.
The Seahawks return home on Saturday for a rare weekend matinee as they close out the Bellmore
series before the holiday vacation week begins. Game time is Tentatively set for 11AM.
Cougars Claw Hawks 9-7
Despite getting seven runs and nine hits, despite taking the lead in team Home Runs for
Nassau County, despite committing zero errors, despite stealing seven bases, despite getting zero walks allowed from a starting
pitcher and two scoreless innings from their reliever, the Seahawks still managed to let the series home opener against Bellmore
JFK slip through their fingers 9-7.
The culprits were the same usual suspects that have reared their ugly heads for way too
long. The Seahawks struck out eight times failing to at least advance runners let alone get them home. The clutch hit seems
to never arrive as evidenced by the nine runners left on base. There was yet another one inning meltdown as the Hawks allowed
five runs in the fourth. The big play in the field always seems to missing. And last but not least, the mental errors and
poor judgement whether it is at the plate, in the field, or on the basepaths just never seem to get corrected, much to the
frustration of the players, the coaches and fans who follow the Seahawks week in and week out.
The goal of winning at the Varsity level has to start with the small details and work from
there, currently that just isn't happening. There are still plenty of games remaining so the Hawks will jump back in the ring
starting tomorrow when they travel to Bellmore for game two of the three game set.
Seahawks Stave Off Pirates 12-9
After watching a five run lead disappear in the bottom of the seventh, the determined
Carey Seahawks finally seized the lead for good in the top of the 8th when Gianni "Rookie" Masci singled home Sal "I need
a fence!" Intagliata, who tripled to start the inning, with the eventual winning run as the Hawks posted their first league
victory of the season over the Mepham Pirates.
The 12-9 win was anchored again by the Seahawks bats as they pounded out 15 hits getting
at least one hit from every player in the lineup. John "I Love Curveballs" Chilelli got the groove started early when he cranked
an opposite field Home Run in the first as the Hawks homered for the third straight game. Frank "On Fire" Intagliata put up
another multiple hit game as he concluded the Mepham series batting a mind boggling .750 8/12. Brian "G.S." Gottlieb chipped
in with a three for three afternoon as he also earned his first win of the year pitching in relief of T.J. "Guts" Humrich
who struck out eight, allowed seven hits, and only gave up five runs in 6.3 innings.
Dustin "Heart and Soul" Capriglione posted a solid two for four game but it was his
diving catch in the bottom of the 7th that kept his team alive as he rose up to take the reigns as many senior leaders often
do. Capriglione's vocal leadership also had some running mates as C.J. "Z-Rock" Zahradka and Vinny "The Original Sherm AKA
OS" Gentile both contributed huge two run singles to go along with their "get pumped" attitude.
The two game swing victory was definitely a must win as the Hawks can now enjoy the
weekend knowing that they will remain just 2 wins out of first in the nip and tuck AA-III playoff chase. The Seahawks next
return home on Monday April 10th as they open a three game set with the Bellmore JFK Cougars. Game Time is 4:30PM.
Sloppy Hawks Drop Second Straight
For the second straight game, the Seahawks pitching failed them when they needed a pick
me up. The numbers simply don't lie: 19 runs, 14 hits, 14 walks and a steady stream of 2-0, 3-1 counts just added to the long
suffering afternoon. So what began as an exciting opportunity ended on a disappointing note as the Mepham Pirates handed the
Hawks their heads in an embarrassing 19-9 drubbing.
Physical errors also played a part as the Seahawks booted four balls but more exasperating
were the mental mistakes for the second consecutive game as the Hawks let pop-ups drop in, guys forgot to cover bases, pitchers
forgot to check runners and to top off the shenanigans the Pirates swiped home on a toss back to the pitcher.
Basically it will be up to the coaching staff, who definitely hold themselves responsible
for the poor mental play, and the seniors to play with a little more passion and urgency as opposed to the 'deer in the headlights'
mentality that has somehow taken hold.
On the positive side of things, the Seahawks bats remained hot as Frank Intagliata (2
for 4) smashed a leadoff Home Run for the second consecutive game. Brother Sal added a 3 for 4 game with 2 RBI's, while C.J.
Zahradka and T.J. Humrich also chipped in with multi hit games.
The 0-2 Seahawks take Wednesday off before traveling to Shermville on Thursday where
they hope to take the final game of the series.
Pirates Punch and Judy Seahawks in Opener
All it took was a one-inning meltdown and the Seahawks found themselves in a hole that
was simply too much to overcome as they dropped the 2006 League opener to Mepham 11-6.
Wasted in the loss was the herculean effort by Frank "Franco" Intagliata who crushed
a Home Run on the first pitch of the game, singled twice, drove in three runs, stole two bases and registered one dazzling
play at second base to save a run.
Adam Kirell suffered the loss as poor footing and some seeing-eye singles knocked him
and the Hawks around in an extremely damaging 8-run third. Hopefully, the Hawks will wipe it from the memory bank as they
return home on Tuesday for the long awaited home opener.
Seahawks Win SJU Thriller
C.J. Zahradka's run scoring single in the bottom of the 6th inning gave the Seahawks
the lead for good as they went on to defeat the Floral Park Knights 11-9 in the 2006 Non-League opener played at beautiful
St. John's University Field.
Zahradka also earned the win pitching as he put together three strong innings before
giving way to T.J. Humrich who closed out the 7th with a perfect 1-2-3 inning. Frank Intagliata led the way on offense with
a triple, a single, two walks, two stolen bases, and on defense, with a gorgeous diving play at 2B that saved a run in the
3rd. Brother Sal Intagliata also was perfect at the plate as he reached base all four times with two hits and two walks to
go along with three stolen bases. John Chilelli and T.J. Humrich also had multiple hit games to add to the 11-run outburst
that was also aided by seven Floral Park errors.
The 1-0 Seahawks now move to league play next Monday April 3rd @ 4:30PM as they travel
to Mepham to take on the Pirates in the AA-III opener.
Seahawks Shutout Knights 7-0
Pitchers Adam "Fleet of Foot" Kirell, C.J. "En Fuego" Zahradka, and Sal "What Kind of
Sign is That?" Intagliata combined to quiet Floral Park bats over six innings as the Hawks remained unbeaten in the pre-season.
Group 1 representatives Gianni Masci, John Chilelli, Frank Intagliata and T.J. Humrich continued their torrid pace at the
plate to the lead the offense. When asked about their day they stated that they were simply dedicating their performance to
their ill teammate Vinny "Sherm" Gentile who was home in bed with the sniffles.
Seahawks Rip Rams 7-3
The Seahawks continued their successful pre-season by turning aside the West Hempstead
Rams 7-3 in their fourth straight exhibition victory. T.J. Humrich, Frank Intagliata, Dustin Capriglione, C.J. Zahradka, Brian
Gottlieb, and Gianni Masci all stayed hot at the plate while Jon Brosnan and Joe Medina put together three solid innings for
the pitching staff.
Seahawks Rock Park Again
The Seahawks notched their third straight win of the pre-season as they knocked off Floral
Park for the second straight game 12-4. Sal "Mr. Pretzel" Intagliata hit two consecutive bombs in the fourth inning to help
break open a close game while "Slick"Nick Santoro smashed a triple late to pace the scoring. Brian "I like wearing my hat
backwards!" Gottlieb, Joe "Rocky" Marciano and T.J. "SAT" Humrich each pitched two solid innings. Win or lose, each exhibition
game is supposed to show improvement. So far that mission has ben accomplished as the Seahawks continue to creep towards the
exciting season opener at St. John's University next Wednesday at 4:30PM
Seahawks Pound Park 8-2
The Seahawks welcomed the Floral Park Knights for the first of five meetings as the exhibition
season continues to battle the elements. The 20 degree wind chill made gripping the ball difficult and poor bat contact agonozing
for both teams. However, C.J. Zahradka was not fazed by either as he smacked two more hits in addition to pitching two scoreless
frames that saw him strike out the side in the fourth inning. Sal "Nuke LaLoosh" Intagliata also struck out the side in the
six in between plunking three Floral Park Knights who had to be questioning whether this scrimmage was really worth it. Jamie
"Orange Triangle" Spanopoulos and seven other Hawks all contributed to the hit parade.
Seahawks Boot Mules in Exhibition Opener
For the second consecutive year the Carey Seahawks broke the seal with an exhibition opener
at the Malverne Mules, and for the second consecutive year the Seahawks opened with a win. This time around it was a rather
uncharacteristic 12-7 slugfest. The cold, windy weather obviously had no bearing on the Seahawks bats as after cycling through
one time each, all three hitting groups seemed to find their groove.
The Seahawks belted out nine extra base hits including a 380 foot bomb off the bat of John
"Chills" Chilelli. Frank "Don't Stand on the Tracks When the Train is Coming Through" Intagliata, C.J. "1980's Headband" Zahradka,
Joe "Funky Cold" Medina, Brian "Backwards Hat" Gottlieb, Dustin "No Joke, Its Cold!!" Capriglione and Gianni "Monster" Masci
all added doubles and/or triples to the statsheet.
Jon "Mr. Curveball" Brosnan pitched two scoreless innings to pace the pitchers. Although
it is early the early arrival of the lively bats is certainly a welcome site as the Seahawks will now focus on getting their
physical and mental errors corrected as soon as possible in order to be ready for the real opener which is just 15 days away.
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