Prime Pub Defense Leads the Way in Victory over Perillo Tours

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On Tuesday June 16, Prime Pub faced Perillo Tours at Reis Park and both teams definitely did a good job putting the bat on the ball. More so on the side of Prime, starting pitcher Bobby Russo identified the difference and it took place behind him.

Referring to shortstop Mike Nilosola and third baseman PJ Rossetti, a series of stellar plays kept the damage limited. “They are the only reason we won,” Russo said after the 13-7 win.

Even so, Perillo Tours got out of the gate first. Vinny DiFilippo singled hard to left, and Kevin Olifiers tripled the Somers football coach home. An out later, Chris Boncardo singled up the middle to double the score, but Perillo still fell short by leaving the bases loaded.

Onto the bottom, Prime Pub got started. Nick Ruggiero reached on an infield hit, Kevin Murray moved him over with a deep sacrifice fly to center, and a bloop single by Rossetti didn’t have the home team apologizing after Ruggiero trotted home.

2-1, and the left side of the infield put their heads up. Rossetti pulled one off the third base fence, and Nilosola ranged all the way into shallow center for out number two. 

Of course, Nilosola had no problem with DiFilippo’s popup, and Prime was ready to tie. With Rossetti on with a walk, and Brian Bernarducci dropping another bloop, Nolan Considine’s single up the middle tied the score.

Not for long, Perillo quickly loaded the bases. A walk by Kevin Olifiers, a bloop single by Ryan Cameron, and a single by Boncardo set the table for Anthony DeCoro. Picking up his fork, the left fielder smacked a single to center for two RBIs, and Nick Belfie closed the scoring at five with a sacrifice fly to center.

Down three, Prime went deep to start the bottom of the third. Rossetti doubled down the left field line and Murray went deep to right center. Good for a triple, a run was in, and Nilosola made it two with a single to left. 

Then Boncardo flashed his glove. On Jackson Kossow’s laser, the Perillo third baseman made a diving snare for the first out.  But Prime wasn’t deterred. 

A walk by Russo and a dropped fly ball left it to Bernarducci to give Prime their first lead. The lefty smacked a singled to right and scored both runners.

7-5, and Kevin Olifiers answered in a big way. With two outs, he went deep over the left field fence, and Perillo kept coming. An infield hit by Cameron, a single to left by Boncardo and an opposite field single to right by DeCoro tied the score again.

Prime had Perillo’s number, though. After the first two runners reached, Ruggiero’s sacrifice to deep center moved both runners up, and Murray doing the same, both runners scored.

9-7, and Russo got help from Nilosola. He leaped high for a hump back liner, and a pair of fly balls moved the game to the bottom of the fifth.

Time for separation, a walk and a bloop single put Nolan Considine at the dinner table. A hard shot to third, the one hopper was too hot to handle for Boncardo, and two more runs crossed the plate.

Six outs to go for Prime and Rossetti showed how it was done. After eating up a grounder for a force at second, he made a back handed stab on a high hoping rope by Boncardo and the negated threat had the third baseman reveling in the reflexive nature of the position.  “I don’t have to think,” Rossetti was appropriately succinct.

Insurance time, Murray made the first payment and didn’t go looking for trouble. “I try to hit it where they’re not,” he said after hitting an opposite field double down the left field line.

He scored on Nilosola’s sacrifice fly to deep center, and after Kossow and Bob Considine reached, Russo continued the strong bat control with another opposite field hit. “We’re a veteran group and know what we are doing,” said the pitcher.

The last three outs coming easy, Bernarducci had the final tally. “This is a fun group of guys, and every week I look forward to Tuesdays,” he concluded.

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