Massapequa, NY – With a mammoth walk-off hit in the 11th inning, before a riveted, gathering crowd, the North Bellmore North Merrick Rebels won an epic battle with the Massapequa International Braves yesterday, 12-11.

To be sure, the early part of this game featured lots of sloppy play, mostly by the Rebels who uncharacteristically yielded an abundance of extra outs and free bases on fielding errors, bad decisions, and ill-advised and poorly executed throws. To the Braves credit, they capitalized on the Rebels’ charity. While the Rebels hit hard and scored often in the early going, their poor defense combined with what appeared to be all the good breaks and fortune going to Massapequa, helped the Braves keep pace.

The Braves got on the board with an unearned run in the top of the first.

The Rebels came back in the bottom of the second to take the lead, 2-1.

On a day when starter Kevin McCleneghan didn’t have his very best stuff, he certainly pitched well enough to give the Rebels the opportunity to win if the defense played like they’re capable. He reached his pitch-count limit in the top of the fourth with no one out and NBNM leading 5-2.

Brian Porricelli came on in relief with the bases full of Braves. Without the defensive help he should have gotten, the inning ended with the Braves taking the lead, 6-5.

The Rebels offense stayed hot and their confidence high as they answered right back with four runs in their half of the fourth to regain the lead, 9-6.

The Braves bats had started to come alive by the fifth. Jack Delaney and then Mike Proios came on in relief of Porricelli but when the inning was over the Braves had posted another crooked number and the lead changed back to Massapequa, 10-9.

At this point, the quality of play took a 180-degree turn for the better. Both sides were now playing excellent defense and the Braves made a couple of great plays in the field to rob Rebels hits.

Proios kept the Braves scoreless in the top of the sixth.

With their backs against the wall, the Rebels came out in the bottom of the sixth needing a run to tie. Showing true grit and a never-say-die attitude, NBNM scratched out the tying run and forced extra innings.

At this point, solid pitching and defense took over. By now, the drama of this game drew the attention of passers-by and an interested crowd gathered. Despite the palpable tension and pressure, the Rebels’ Proios and the Braves pitcher exchanged three shut-out innings each.

In the top of the 10th, Matt Conry relieved Proios who had reached his pitch-count limit after an outstanding performance and the game still tied, 10-10. After getting ahead of the first batter, Conry lost control of an off-speed pitch that hit the batter and the Braves had their lead-off man aboard. Two pitches later, the baserunner advanced on a wild pitch and the go-ahead run was in scoring position. Conry settled down and struck out the next two batters he faced. With two outs and a man on second, the next Braves batter had a hard hit double into the left-centerfield gap to drive in a run and the Braves led, 11-10. Conry fanned the next batter for the final out of the inning.

Once again, the Rebels came up with their backs against it. Fresh off his clutch and gutsy pitching performance, Proios stepped in to lead off the bottom of the tenth. Mike dropped a bunt down toward third base. With both corners charging, the Massapequa pitcher fielded the ball and fired toward first where the second-baseman was late arriving to cover. The throw sailed past first and out toward rightfield as Proios hustled all the way to third and a break had finally come the Rebels way. Next, Conry came up and showed bunt. After failing to execute, the count reached 1-2. But the bunt remained on and Conry got it down on the first base side. The pitcher fielded the bunt, looked at Proios with a big lead at third, froze him and threw to first. As Conry was called out on a bang-bang play at first, Proios had broken for home on the throw. The Braves first baseman fired home but not in time to get the sliding Proios and the Rebels had again tied the score, 11-11. With the Rebels bench and fans all fired up, next up was Jack Delaney. On the first pitch, Delaney proceeded to slash a double right over the third base bag and down the leftfield line. With the winning run 120 feet away, the Rebels’ Alec Acri strode into the batter’s box. With the count 1-0, Acri turned on an up-and-in fastball and ripped a bomb deep into the left-centerfield alley to drive in the game-winner with a walk-off double. Acri was summarily mobbed by elated teammates, virtually all of whom contributed in some way to this exhilarating victory.

While it wasn’t the prettiest game the Rebels have ever won, it did show the guts and tenacity that a successful team must have. This may be a game that the Rebels look back on where they proved to themselves just how tough they can be even when things don’t appear to be going their way.

The Rebels followed the win with some celebratory burgers and fries at All-American compliments of birthday-boy Matt Conry’s grandpa.

The victory moves the Rebels into the third round of the Williamsport District 31 play-off winner’s bracket where they will face Merrick Tuesday July 6, 5:30pm at Merrick Road Park.