FINAL: Smith 11, Whitestown 2

I'm here at SUNY-IT for today's showdown between Smith Post and Whitestown Post. Smith is in first place in the Blue Division at 15-0 and looking to inch closer to a perfect regular season. Whitestown (12-4) has won 12 of its last 13 league games after getting off to an 0-3 start.

I'll be here to provide live updates throughout today's game for you to follow along with the action. Feel free to leave any comments or questions that you may have for me as I'll be more than happy to interact. Now, let's play ball...

Starting lineups:
Whitestown (12-4)
1. Connor Flisnik, 2B
2. Paris Rich, LF
3. George Hajjar, RF
4. Alex Ferenti, SS
5. Tyler Beck, 1B
6. Mike Nassar, CF
7. Jim Engler, DH
8. Matt Wilk, 3B
9. Chris Vomer, C
Pitcher: Mike Fasolo, RHP

Smith (15-0)
1. Kyle Richardson, CF
2. Nate Mallinder, LF
3. Jason Nowicki, 3B
4. Zack Ciccotti, C
5. Rocco DeBlasiis, DH
6. Ryan Marquette, 1B
7. Eli Hendrington, SS
8. Mike Stevens, 2B
9. Ryan Grogg, RF
Pitcher: Joe Melioris, RHP

*Note: Smith is without a big bat in Ryan Kramer. Smith's usual shortstop will miss the game as he is on a college visit.

Top 1st: Richardson walked on six pitches to lead off the game. Mallinder gave himself up, bunting Richardson to second on a 1-3 sacrifice. Nowicki bombed a two-run homerun to left, giving Smith the early lead. Smith 2, Whitestown 0. Ciccotti struck out swinging for the second out. DeBlasiis singled up the middle. Marquette hit a single to right field to put runners on first and second with two outs. Hendrington poked an RBI single to center, bringing home DeBlasiis, but Hendrington was picked off of first as he rounded the base too far on the play. Smith 3, Whitestown 0.

Bottom 1st: Flisnik grounded out to the shortstop for the first out. Melioris got Rich looking for the second out. Hajjar walked to put a runner on first with two out. Ferenti flew out on a deep drive to center field to end the inning.

Smith 3, Whitestown 0

Top 2nd: Stevens grounded out to the shortstop for the first out. Grogg flew out to right for the second out. Richardson drew a two-out walk then stole second on the first pitch to Mallinder after two straight pickoff attempts from Fasolo. Richardson moved to third on a wild pitch curveball. Mallinder ripped a curveball to right field for an RBI single. Smith 4, Whitestown 0. Mallinder advanced to second on the play as Hajjar misplayed the ball in right for an error. Nowicki hit an infield single toward the hole on the left side of the infield that Ferenti made a great play to backhand, but his throw was missed by Beck at first (error on Beck as it should have been caught easily, but he missed it trying to make the stretch). Mallinder scored from second and Nowicki went to second on the play. Smith 5, Whitestown 0. Ciccotti flew out on a deep fly to left to end the inning.

Bottom 2nd: Beck grounded out to Ciccotti on a check-swing chopper in front of home plate for the first out. Nassar flew out to center on the first pitch he saw and Engler then grounded out 6-3 to end the inning.

Smith 5, Whitestown 0

*Whitestown starter Mike Fasolo has thrown 52 pitches (26 each inning) through two innings compared to just 23 total for Smith's Joe Melioris.

Top 3rd: DeBlasiis ripped a line-drive single over the head of the shortstop on the first pitch he saw to lead off the inning. He went to second on a wild pitch from Fasolo. Marquette bunted toward the left side and reached first safely when Flisnik dropped Fasolo's throw to first for Whitestown's third error of the game (DeBlasiis went to third). Hendrington hit his second RBI single of the game - a liner past the diving third baseman - on a 3-2 offering from Fasolo. Smith 6, Whitestown 0. Stevens popped up a bunt to the catcher for the first out. Grogg popped out to the third baseman for the second out (runners on first and second, two outs). Richardson loaded the bases with his third walk of the game. Mallinder hit a two-RBI single to left, scoring Marquette from third and Hendrington from second, and moving Richardson to third. Smith 8, Whitestown 0. With runners on the corners, Nowicki ripped an RBI single to left. Smith 9, Whitestown 0. Mallinder was stealing on the pitch and went all the way to third. Ciccotti grounded out 6-4 to end the inning.

Bottom, 3rd: Wilk struck out swinging for the first out. Vomer went down looking for the second out. Melioris put down the side in order with a 3-2 strike out of Flisnik to end the inning.

Smith 9, Whitestown 0

Top 4th: DeBlasiis grounded out to the shortstop for the first out. Marquette drew a one-out walk to reach for the third time today. Hendrington grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice for the second out (runner on first, two outs). Stevens struck out looking at a nasty curveball from Fasolo for the third out.

Bottom 4th: Rich grounded out to short for the first out. Hajjar popped up the first pitch he saw toward the first base dugout. It was caught by Marquette in foul territory for the second out. Ferenti popped out to Marquette to end the inning.

Smith 9, Whitestown 0

*Matt Wilk has come in to pitch for Whitestown. DH Jim Engler took over for Wilk at third base.

Top 5th: Grogg grounded out 6-3 for the first out. Richardson beat out a grounder down the third baseline for an infield single. Mallinder ripped a one-hop grounder at the mound that was snagged by Wilk and turned into a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Bottom 5th: Beck grounded out to Stevens at second for the first out. Nassar hit an opposite field single to left that was just out of the reach of a sliding Mallinder for Whitestown's first hit of the game. Engler ripped a line-drive single to right to put runners on first and second with one out. Wilk hit an RBI single to right to score Nassar from second for Whitestown first run of the game (runners on first and second, one out). Smith 9, Whitestown 1. Vomer got beaned, bringing up the top of order with one out and the bases loaded. Flisnik struck out looking for the second out. Rich brought home another run and picked up an RBI on a five-pitch walk. Smith 9, Whitestown 2. Hajjar popped out to the second baseman, leaving the bases loaded.

Smith 9, Whitestown 2

*Whitestown changes: Rich moved to center and Jim Klauser came in at left (he'll take Nassar's spot in the order). Chris Flynn came in for Beck at first.

Top 6th: Nowicki reached on a throwing error by the third baseman. He went all the way to second as the throw flew over the first baseman's head and into the outfield. Ciccotti grounded out 5-3 for the first out. DeBlasiis singled to right for his third hit of the game (runners on first and third, one out). Marquette hit the first pitch he saw for an RBI single up the middle (runners on first and second, one out). Smith 10, Whitestown 2. Hendrington flew out to deep center field for the second out. DeBlasiis tagged up and went to third on the play (runners on first and third, two outs). Stevens struck out swinging to end the inning, stranding runners on first and second.

*Matt Warner has come in to catch for Smith.

Bottom 6th: Melioris got Ferenti swinging on a full-count fastball for the first out. Flynn flew out to Richardson in center for the second out. Klauder grounded out weakly to Melioris to end the inning.

Smith 10, Whitestown 2

*Hajjar has moved from right field to the mound for Whitestown. M.J. Hajec took his place in right.

Top 7th: Hajjar struck out Grogg swinging for the first out. Richardson singled to center to put a runner on with one out (he's reached in all five plate appearances today - three walks, two singles). Mallinder ripped a line-drive RBI double to the gap in left-center field. Smith 11, Whitestown 2. Nowicki ripped a liner toward the hole on the right side, but Flisnik made a phenomenal play to stab the ball on a dive and throw to second from his knees to double up Mallinder and end the inning.

*Dustin Colgan has come on to relieve Melioris on the mound for Smith.

Bottom 7th: Colgan struck Engler out swinging on a change-up for the first out. Hajec lined out to Hendrington at short for the second out. Vomer singled to center. Flisnik popped out to short to end the game.

FINAL: Smith 11, Whitestown 2