Hills West Opens Baseball Season in Dominating Fashion

It was a cold day at on Wednesday, but it didn't take long for the Colts bats to heat up. 

The home team plated seven in the first inning and coasted to a 19-5 win over league rival North Babylon in the season opener.  It was the first game of a three game set, with the next two to be played the next two days on the road.

The wind was whipping early on the field, and it took Colts starting pitcher Remy Janco a little while to settle in.  The Bulldogs notched three straight hits to open the game, giving them a 1-0 lead.

Then Janco got his second wind, and he was good to go.  Janco struck out the next three hitters, and plenty of run support would be forthcoming, as the Colts would score seven runs on seven hits in their first turn at bat, with all runs coming with two outs.

"Our focus in the last week of practice has been hitting and we talk about going to the plate with a plan, and the kids did a nice job," Colts coach Tom Migliozzi said.

Shortstop James Barone hit the first pitch the Colts saw for a single, and off they went.  Catcher Matt Cabezon knocked in the first two runs with a double, and Migliozzi says that was key.

"I was impressed with [Matt's hit]...that's what stands out in my mind," Migliozzi said.

Left fielder Chris Golinowski knocked in two with a triple, an Andrew Balling infield hit plated another, and Janco helped his own cause with a run-scoring triple of his own.  Luke Stampfl's RBI single capped off the early outburst.

"It definitely makes it a lot easier on my part, to go out and throw strikes and attack the zone," Janco said of the run support.

Janco ended up going five innings for the win, giving up four hits while striking out ten.

"I came out a little rough at first," Janco said. "I really wasn't warm, as I progressed in the game I definitely got stronger and felt good."

Hills West scored big again in the fourth, bringing home six, capped off by Stamfl's two-run double.  He went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs.  Golinowski did exactly the same, and outfielder Matt Natale hit a two-run home run in the sixth to finish off the day's scoring for the Colts.

It was a great start for Hills West, and they get right back at it Thursday for the second game of the series.  Hopefully, they saved a little bit of offense as Janco stresses that one game is just that...one.

"We have to go 1-0 each day, so tomorrow's a new day," Janco said.  "North Babylon's a good team so we can't underestimate them, we have to go out there just like today and play our game, and hopefully come out on top again."