North Bellmore, NY – The North Bellmore North Merrick Rebels swept the Garden City Athletics in a double-header by the convincing margins of 11-1 and 12-2 Sunday at Gunther Field. The victories move the Rebels’ record in NJBL Spring to 9-0 and keep them at the top of the American 12/75 Division.

The A’s shot out of the starting block in game one with a deep home run to left-center field from their lead-off man. But NBNM starting pitcher Jack Delaney got some assistance from his defense with the nice snag of a line drive in left field by Billy McAdam and a crisp 3-3-6 double-play between Brian Porricelli at first base and Kevin McCleneghan at shortstop to minimize damage. The Rebels offense charged back in their half of the first. In an inning that included a walk for Delaney, singles by Matt Conry and Alec Acri, a double by Porricelli, and a career-first home run by McAdam, NBNM took a 5-1 lead. After the A’s went quietly in the second, the Rebels tacked on another in the bottom when Acri stroked a big fly over the center field fence. Delaney helped himself by thwarting a scoring threat with a spectacular defensive play in the A’s third when he grabbed a hot-shot come-backer, and in one motion spun and fired home where Nick Valeriano applied the tag to the Garden City baserunner who’d broken from third base. The Rebels offense stayed relentless scoring two more in the bottom of third after Michael Proios reached on an error, McAdam singled in Proios, and Kevin McCleneghan grounded to shortstop to plate McAdam. The Rebels invoked the run-rule in the fifth inning when hits from Eric Solomon, McCleneghan, Delaney, Conry, and Acri contributed to two more runs for the Rebels.

As the visiting team in game two, NBNM got things going with a lead-off double by Delaney and a RBI-single by Valeriano. The A’s kept pace in their frame by way of a single and a sacrifice fly to tie. When Garden City took a 2-1 lead with a walk and hit in the second inning, the Rebels responded with a vengeance in the third. After a walk to Delaney, Conry beat out a bunt, Acri singled, Proios walked, Solomon singled, McCleneghan singled, Matt Coster ripped a double down the left field line, Conry doubled over the head of the A’s right fielder, Acri doubled into the left-center gap and the Rebels had amassed a 10-2 lead. NBNM added two more when McAdam scored on a ground-out by Solomon in the fourth and Acri scored on a ground-out by Proios in the sixth.

Game one boxscore and details
Game two boxscore and details

Next up for the Rebels is a Mothers Day match-up with the Hicksville Hurricanes this Sunday May 13 1:00pm at Gunther Field.