Early Errors Doom Foxes At Harrison

Max Bruckner went the distance for Harrison Thursday, throwing a complete game in a 4 - 1 victory over Fox Lane at Harrison High High School.

Neither team hit well with runners in scoring position, but Harrison was able to capitalize on a few untimely Fox Lane errors to pull out the victory. 

Fox Lane got to Bruckner in the first inning. Jack McGrath of the Foxes led off the game with a sharp single down the left field line, then advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. The next batter, Richard Slenker, drove in McGrath with an RBI single. But Bruckner battled out of trouble and settled down, giving up only two hits the rest of the way.

“Max Bruckner had the best outing I have ever seen from him at the varsity level, he was just amazing and against an extremely difficult AA team,” said Harrison coach Marco DiRuocco.

Harrison quickly made up the one-run deficit against Fox Lane starter T.J. Hallock. Husky leadoff man Austin Pollack started the bottom of the first inning with a soft single into center field. The next two Harrison batters reached on errors, loading the bases for cleanup hitter Raffaele Macchia, who took a Hallock pitch deep into the outfield for a sacrifice fly.

“Actually everybody failed us today, It was certainly not indicative of the way T.J. has been throwing the ball,” said Fox Lane coach Matt Hills. “He didn’t work ahead of one hitter all day, he kept falling into holes, which obviously allows them to put the bat on the ball and unfortunately today our fielders kicked it around and he deserved better—overall a terrible game for us.”

The gloves would fail Fox Lane again in the third with the score still tied at one. Michael Jacobson reached first base thanks to the shortstop mishandling the ball, and then reached second on a wild pitch. Michael Chiarella planted a single into right field and Macchia walked, again loading the bases with no outs. Alex Beckett reached on an error that scored two runners with no one out.

After a strikeout, Vinnie Nicita Jr. singled into right field scoring Macchia. Beckett tried to score from second but was thrown out at the plate with the Huskies leading 4 - 1. Hills inserted pitcher Robby Seraita who ended the inning and kept the Foxes out of trouble the rest of the way.

Both pitchers finished the game strong, preserving the 4-1 final.

“We knew going into this that we had to be on our A-game and we did, we played a tremendous game both defensively and offensively,” said DiRuocco, the Harrison coach.

Fox Lane will look to rebound against Carmel on Friday, Harrison will take on Rye Neck.