By BRADY FARKAS
www.cliftonparkworldseries.com
CLIFTON PARK – When the first pitch between Atlantic Shore, N.J., and Guilderland was thrown Sunday night, baseball seemed irrelevant. By the time the last pitch was thrown early Monday morning, it mattered again.
Heavy rains at Clifton Common forced long rain delays all Sunday and the game between the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern New York champions started nearly an hour after its scheduled time. And then a lengthy lightning sighting and subsequent rain delay at 7:30 p.m. forced the suspension of play until this morning with Atlantic Shore winning 4-1 in the fifth inning.
The game would finish with the same score.
The most chilling was the scene prior to Sunday’s first pitch. The Atlantic Shore team gathered in centerfield, huddled in a circle, with each player getting down on one knee and bowing their heads. The team was honoring eight Mainland High School NJ, football players, four of whom died Saturday after a car crash after a football practice. Some of the players on Atlantic Shore and their families had close relationships with the victims.
“I know back home is not a good scene right now,” manager Mike Gill said, giving his players the option to go back home if they wanted. No player took it.
“We told the kids that no one is going to think less of you if you want to be home at this point,” Gill said. “Every guy wanted to be here and play for the kids back home.”
When baseball got underway, Anthony Boselli stole the show for Atlantic Shore. He earned the win on the mound, pitching a seven-inning complete game. He allowed one earned run and four hits.
Prior to the overnight rain delay, he retired 13 consecutive batters. He then came back Monday and finished the effort en route to winning the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game for Atlantic Shore.
“He did what 13-year-old pitchers should do. He threw strikes, threw his curveball for a strike, didn’t walk people and kept people off the bases,” Guilderland manager Brian Grabek said.
Offensively, Guilderland had its only opportunity in the first inning when their Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Brandon Das led off the game with a double and later scored on a bases loaded walk to Kristian Singh.
Grabek said not being able to add on more runs in that inning was the key to the game.
“That gave them energy, and took a little bit out of our sails,” he said.
Atlantic Shore was held hitless by Guilderland starter Nick Chiseri for 2 2/3 innings before Kyle Gerace’s triple scored Jack Loefflad and Boselli, who had reached on a walk and a hit by pitch.
Kyler Pikus also drove home two runs with a double.
Both teams now sit at 1-2 in the American Division and will need to win their final game and have help to advance to the next round.
Because of the rain, the teams will have to play a second game Monday. Atlantic Shore will play Jasper, Ind., at 12:30 p.m. Guilderland will play against Tri-Valley, Calif., at 8 p.m.

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