NJSIAA Baseball: D'Amico Grand Slam Lifts Hasbrouck Heights Over Park Ridge

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ – Rocco D’Amico hit an inside-the-park grand slam to lead Hasbrouck Heights to a 7-4 victory over Park Ridge in the opening round of the NJSIAA North 1, Group 1 baseball playoffs in Hasbrouck Heights on Thursday afternoon.

The Aviators move on to play at Pequannock on Wednesday, May 29, at 4 p.m.

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Andy Victori put the Aviators up 1-0 in the bottom of the first, scoring Damon Rivera, who led off the game with a single to left field, and advanced into scoring position on a single by D’Amico.  They added a run in the third to take a 2-0 lead when Ethan Perez walked leading off the inning, advancing to third on a passed ball and line out to center field, and scoring on Victori’s sacrifice fly.

Hasbrouck Heights took command in the fourth, scoring five runs, four on D’Amico’s blast.   With one out, Ryan Cappello tripled to right field.  Cole Sudol walked and Dom Aiosa reached on a bunt, with Cappello holding at third to load the bases.

Rivera singled to center field off Park Ridge reliever Dan Dema, scoring one run to make the score 3-0.  Perez grounded back to the mound, with Park Ridge picking up the force out at home for the second out.  D’Amico then cleared the bases, giving the Aviators a 7-0 lead.

Park Ridge chipped away at the lead, scoring a run in the sixth, and rallying for three in the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth.  But Rivera was able to get the final out and the complete game victory.

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Rivera picked up the win, allowing four runs, two earned, in seven innings, walking three and striking out six.

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