Mineola Baseball Knocks Off Seaford 12-5

The Mineola varsity baseball team continued their success against the upper echelon teams of Conference A-VI, defeating Seaford 12-5 on Monday afternoon.

The Mustangs are coming off their biggest win of the season this past Friday, ending the undefeated streak of Long Island powerhouse, Clarke.

Mineola head coach Helms Bohringer delivered on his and added another victory yesterday.

The fifth inning saw Mineola send 11 men to the plate, scoring eight to move them to a .500 record of 6-6 in Conference A-VI and 6-7 overall.

Seaford’s loss is just the third in conference play and fourth overall on the season.

“We’d like to get into second place,” Bohringer said, wanting to avoid a potential let-down after being the first to put a chink in the Clarke armor. “We have no way of letting down. If we let down, we might not even be in the playoffs.”

Right hander John Caputo pitched six masterful innings, allowing two earned runs while scattering six hits and striking out three Vikings.

“I think John has had two very good outings in a row like he’s supposed to as a senior,” Bohringer said. “If he pitches well and all the pitchers pitch well, we’ll be a tough out in the playoffs.”

The Mustangs raced out to an early 3-0 lead after Ryan Jenkins led the game off with a screamer to left field.

Firstbaseman Jim Bulva cleared the bases with a two run single and then came around to score on a Tom Ward grounder to third base.

Mineola would manufacture a run in the bottom of the third when Bulva reached on an error to start the inning and promptly swiping second base.

Situational hitting by Nick Palma advanced Bulva to third as Caputo helped his own cause with a sac fly to left field that extended the Mineola lead to 4-1.

“We teach the kids about hitting the ball to the other side of the diamond,” he said, emphasizing the small ball style that Mineola plays. “I love that; to answer and make it 4-1 (it gave) us a bit of a cushion.”

Seaford was able to bring the game close by knotching a pair of runs against Caputo in the top of the fourth as the Mustangs responded an inning later with seven hits and eight runs to blow the lead and the game open 12-4.

Craig Weber led the inning off with a walk and was promptly brought in after Bulva drove a ball deep into the right center field gap for an RBI triple.

The firstbaseman ended up racing home and disappeared into a cloud of dust with a head long dive for the second run of the inning.

Mineola reeled off three consecutive base hits, including a bases-clearing triple from Mike Cerqueira that brought two more Mustangs in to score. The blast to left center one hopped a fence some 400 feet away from home plate.

“Cerqueria has had a productive last three days,” Bohringer said. “It started with a big walk against Clarke. He had three hits and a home run against New Hyde Park. It’s not a knock on anyone else but you have to go with the hot hand sometimes. He’s going to get more at bats. He’s capable of hitting the ball a very long way.”

After leading the inning off with the walk, Craig Weber homered in his second at bat of the inning to cap the eight run surge for Mineola.

With Mineola having the large margin, Bohringer pulled his starters in favor of his younger players to complete the 12-5 victory.

With two more games left with Seaford this week, Bohringer is hoping to carry over the momentum from the previous two wins into the next game.

“I’m hoping that we keep swinging it like we have,” he said.

Mineola hits the road for the on Tuesday afternoon.