LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Talk about a May Day celebration!

On Monday, May 1, the home team Bulldogs of Sullivan West (5-5) squared off against the Tri-Valley Bears (2-3) in the first round of a three-game varsity baseball series with a rather daunting weather forecast looming over the field: high winds, torrential rain, lightning and even the threat of a tornado.

But as luck would have it, the storms didn’t materialize until after the game, and Sullivan West defeated the opposition 4-1 in a contest that was recorded in the scorebook as a real pitchers’ duel.

Up on the mound for the Bulldogs, Bryce Reimer hurled a three-hitter and fanned eight to pick up the OCIAA Division V win.

“It was a good team win to start out the series,” said the 15-year old sophomore southpaw.

His take on the season?

“It started out a little rough in the beginning, but we pulled through… we’re hoping for .500,” replied Reimer.

Bears 17-year-old junior pitcher Chase Botsford gave up four hits on the way to striking out 10.

His take on the game?

“Today we just didn’t hit well, and had too many mental errors,” said Botsford.

So what about the season?

“Our young guys have to play a little better, and our older guys have to lead them a little more… and then we’ll be good,” he said.

Tri-Valley’s solo score was in the second frame, and the Bears posted hits by Botsford, Michael Schulte and Cody Shamro on 26 at-bats.

Sullivan West racked up RBIs by Austin Melchick, Collin Flynn and a double by Collin Hauschild with 23 at-bats.

The Bulldogs sent a runner across the plate in the third inning, two in the fifth and closed out the game with a run in the sixth.

“We’re never going to make the excuse that we’re a young team… we have to grow up and learn quickly [and] we have to learn on the fly,” said Bears coach John Russo.

In a tip of his cap to the Bulldogs pitcher, Russo said, “Reimer is a great pitcher… he got ahead of the count and had a good rhythm up there.”

“They made all the routine plays and had some timely hitting,” added Russo.

What about the Bears?

“We’re an aggressive team, always play the risk and rewards game.”

Bulldogs coach Bill Kirk credited the performances of Collin Hauschild, “he had a huge hit for us”; Collin Flynn, “a big two-out hit for us to drive in that extra run”; and pinch runner James DeAverio and his slide home on a wild pitch for putting the win in the record book.

“What can you say about Bryce… we’re lucky to have him,” added Kirk of his ninth-grade pitcher.