AIM Construction gets back on Track with win over Hudson Valley Bone and Joint

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HVBJ

On Thursday June13, the Somers Men Softball League continued its schedule and C League was on display at Reis Park on the upper field. AIM Construction was not only hoping to get back to .500 but start another run for glory. “The last two years we took the D and C league championships,” said Player/Manager Emil Napolitano, and on this day, Hudson Valley Bone hoped to get in the way.

Not quite, AIM took an early 7-1 lead and cruised to an easy 13-4 victory.

The game did begin on the upswing for HVBJ, though. Lucas Fecci put the ball on the ground and legged out an infield hit. But he was unfortunately undone by a smoking liner to third by Jack Maher.

There, one Alex Rodriguez did justice to his namesake. He made the snare, and in doubling up Fecci, the third baseman felt like he came home. “I haven’t played infield for a while,” he said. “It was definitely a good feeling to get back out there and help the team,” said Rodriguez.

Another gobbled ball by A-Rod ended the inning, and AIM went right to work. Jake Graham lined to center, Sean Mullaly went up the middle with one out, and after Christian Sconia walked, ARod knocked in the first run with a sacrifice fly.

A single later by Matt Hirsch made it 2-0, and HVBJ took their turn again. Cole Adams walked, Kevin Kenney lined a single, and Bobby Zattola drove in the run with a single up the middle.

A 2-1 game, AIM wasn’t fazed. Napolitano lined a rope past short with one out, and Graham, Michael Hirsch and Mullaly lashed singles to make it 4-1. Not done, Sconia and Matt Mariani both found gaps for a pair of doubles, and Matt Hirsch’s two out single made it 7-1 after two.

A couple of singles in the top of the third didn’t get HVBJ any closer, and the AIM bats were no less forgiving in the bottom. Starting with Napolitano, another single definitely put age before all the beauty of his youngers. “I’ve been playing for 45 years,” he chalked his proficiency up to experience.

Jake Graham and Michael Hirsch held their own nonetheless. Two straight singles and AIM added another. Then AIM played smart ball. Mullaly grounded out to first for a run, and after Sconia singled, Rodriguez had his second sacrifice fly to make it a 10-1 game.

But HVBJ wasn’t giving in. Adams blooped a single to center, and Kenney did the same to left center. Runners on the corners, this time Mariani came up big with his glove on the mound. He snared Nick Maestro’s shot back at him and got the force at second.

A run in, Mariani may have been knocked off his game a bit. He issued two consecutive walks and Matt Eckert’s single made it 10-3. A force play at second brought in another, but the blip still had Michael Hirsch praising the versatility of Mariani. “Our regular pitcher was out,” said the shortstop. “He stepped in and played a huge role.”

Undeterred, the fill-in blanked HVBJ in the fifth and then AIM put on the finishing touches. Graham doubled, Michael Hirsch singled, Mullaly tripled in two, and Rodriguez finished the scoring with his third sacrifice fly.

Three outs to go, HVBJ did get a runner on an error and almost kept it going when Matt Hirsch bobbled a routine grounder to second. The out call made on the force at second, Michael Hirsch dismissed the minor controversy. “He was out,” the older brother assured.

Hirsch also relished playing with his younger brother, who completed his senior year at Somers on this very day. “I never played a competitive game with him besides maybe wiffle ball in the backyard,” joked Hirsch.

A ground ball to Matt ending the game had the manager beaming the 3-3 record and forecasting more. “The best is yet to come,” concluded Napolitano.