On an absolutely gorgeous Saturday morning at the critically endangered burby park known as the Hood (the best one in the league in my op),  the scuffling Cliffside Heights took on the surging Riverdale Spartans.  The game itself was in jeopardy of never happening as Cliffside struggled to field a team of three, but were able to secure 'Mr. Consistency' Amin Variava for the line up. Game on! And what a game it was, for anyone who has played here at the Hood it was clearly a day where the long ball would dominate the proceedings. Clear sky,  warm with low humidity and barely a breeze to be felt, anything in the air had a chance to leave the yard. And by the end of the day there was a combined total of 8 home runs by both teams. 
 

   The Spartans, who fielded a lineup of 6 players, jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on a blast from Owen McDonald off of league legend Luciano Perna.  Not a guy who goes deep too often, but it's that kind of roster depth that has carried the Spartans this year.

 

  The Heights got it right back in their half of the inning a grand slam from Variava helped them  build  a 5-3 lead off a shaky start from Marty Patience who would not get back on the mound on this day.  After that the game settled into a groove with both sides pitching well.

 

However the Spartan's chipped away to get the game knotted at 5-5.  Gino Collura took the mound for the Heights and proved why he's a sneaky good pitcher, getting  Paul Braunstein on a soft pop out with the sacks loaded, and clearly getting under the power hitter's skin. 

 

  Scotty 'Remember me?' Baker looked solid on the mound for the Spartans showing good command of his fast ball and splitter. 

 

  But once the sixth inning rolled around the bats came alive for the Spartans as they put up an 8 run smash fest to take a commanding 13-5 lead with some walks, some hits and eventually another blast from Owen, and of course in only his second game of the season another grand slam from Scotty Baker, who is clearly feeling good about the bounty of the universe right now, securing the lead role in the play The Full Monty. Yes, the one where grown men show their junk. Way to go Shake 'n' Bake!  

 

  But just when we thought the Heights were ready to go away quietly they put up three runs of their own in the bottom half of the sixth off Baker who served up a couple too many over the heart of the box.  But that was all they could muster as the 7th inning went by without another homer from either side.  At the end of the day the Spartans put up 17 hits off three pitchers and the Heights 10 hits off three Spartans hurlers.  

 

   The Heights have now lost 5 straight to the Spartans and seem to be a team in decline, mostly because of the  continued absence of pitching wizard Marcus Belardi. But once he's back there's no reason to think this lineup couldn't rebound and be a force come playoffs.  
 

   The Spartans look to be a legit threat this season, and hope to be a team playing in those finals come September.  The addition of Adam Stewart,  and Rejuvenated Scott Baker have added a lot of baseball knowledge and skill,  the incredible clutch hitting of McCann, is there a better two strike hitter?,  The big bat of Marty Patience, the  pitching of Owen Mcdonald, and the hard swinging Braunstein, who has yet to find the power of previous years but is one monster hit away from getting his mojo back.   If everyone stays healthy the sky's the limit for this group. 

   PB