SOMERS, N.Y. - On Tuesday, June 16, Prime Pub faced Perillo Tours at Reis Park, and both teams did a good job putting the bat on the ball. Prime Pub, however, had a distinct advantage, according to starting pitcher Bobby Russo.
Referring to shortstop Mike Nilosola and third baseman PJ Rossetti, Russo pointed to a series of stellar defensive plays that kept the damage limited.
“They are the only reason we won,” Russo said after the 13-7 victory.
Even so, Perillo Tours got out of the gate first. Vinny DiFilippo singled hard to left, and Kevin Olifiers tripled home the Somers football coach. An out later, Chris Boncardo singled up the middle to double the lead, but Perillo left the bases loaded and settled for a 2-0 advantage.
Prime Pub answered in the bottom half. Nick Ruggiero reached on an infield hit, Kevin Murray moved him over with a deep sacrifice fly to center, and a bloop single by Rossetti brought Ruggiero home to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The left side of Prime’s infield then went to work. Rossetti made a play near the third-base line, and Nilosola ranged deep into shallow center field for another out. Moments later, Nilosola settled under DiFilippo’s popup to end the inning.
Prime quickly tied the game. Rossetti walked, Brian Bernarducci dropped in another bloop single, and Nolan Considine followed with an RBI single up the middle.
The tie did not last long. Perillo loaded the bases on a walk by Olifiers, a bloop single by Ryan Cameron and a base hit by Boncardo. Anthony DeCoro then delivered a two-run single to center, and Nick Belfie added a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 5-2.
Prime responded again in the bottom of the third. Rossetti doubled down the left-field line and Murray tripled to right-center, driving in a run. Nilosola followed with an RBI single to left to make it 5-4.
Then Boncardo flashed the leather. On Jackson Kossow’s line drive, the Perillo third baseman made a diving catch for the first out. Prime remained undeterred.
A walk by Russo and a dropped fly ball set the stage for Bernarducci, who lined a two-run single to right field to give Prime its first lead at 7-5.
Perillo answered immediately. With two outs, Olifiers launched a home run over the left-field fence. Cameron followed with an infield hit, Boncardo singled to left, and DeCoro poked an opposite-field single to right to tie the game at 7-7.
Prime regained control in the bottom half. After the first two runners reached base, sacrifice flies by Ruggiero and Murray moved the runners around and brought both home, giving Prime a 9-7 lead.
Russo then got more help from his defense. Nilosola leaped high to snag a humpback liner, and a pair of fly-ball outs sent the game to the bottom of the fifth.
That inning provided the separation Prime needed. A walk and a bloop single put Nolan Considine in position, and his hard ground ball to third proved too much to handle. The ball skipped past Boncardo, allowing two more runs to score.
With six outs remaining, Rossetti again showed his value in the field. After starting a force play at second, he made a backhanded stab on a hard line drive off Boncardo’s bat to erase another threat.
“I don’t have to think,” Rossetti said, appropriately succinct.
Prime added insurance in the sixth. Murray got things started with an opposite-field double down the left-field line.
“I try to hit it where they’re not,” he said.
He later scored on Nilosola’s sacrifice fly to deep center. After Kossow and Bob Considine reached base, Russo continued the offensive surge with another opposite-field hit.
“We’re a veteran group and know what we are doing,” said the pitcher.
The final three outs came easily, and Bernarducci reflected on the victory afterward.
“This is a fun group of guys, and every week I look forward to Tuesdays,” he said.
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