Ryan Pignetti's all-around effort helps lead Massapequa baseball past Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK
Ryan Pignetti of Massapequa slides safely into third in the bottom of the second inning of a Nassau Conference AAA-1 matchup against Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on Monday at Massapequa. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
In order to become a regular for the Massapequa baseball team, one must play a fundamental and scrappy brand of baseball. In his varsity debut, junior Ryan Pignetti did just that in Massapequa’s Nassau Conference AAA-I opener against visiting Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on Monday morning.
Pignetti got the start at second base and batted ninth, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored in a 6-1 win. He did not play in Massapequa’s season opener against Garden City on Saturday, but he made the most of his first opportunity by putting on a clinic of Massapequa-style baseball.
Pignetti helped turn a 6-4-3 double play to end the first inning. With Massapequa leading 1-0 in the second, Pignetti stepped to the plate with a runner on third base and one out. He chopped one to the left side and legged out an infield single, driving in senior rightfielder Chris Sultana to double the lead.
Now on first, Pignetti read a dirt ball perfectly and advanced to second. While running, he checked over his shoulder to locate the ball. Upon realizing it was still rolling, Pignetti rounded second and took third as well. Pignetti then scored on a wild pitch three pitches later to make it 3-0.
“Knowing how deep our team is, you’ve got to be at your best every time you get on the field,” Pignetti said. “You’ve got to be able to do little stuff every time.”
With a runner on first and nobody out in the sixth inning and the lead cut to 3-1, Pignetti placed a perfect bunt between the third baseman and the pitcher’s mound for another infield hit. Massapequa (2-0) went on to score three more runs and put it away.
Though Pignetti led the small-ball attack to help Massapequa stay comfortable throughout the game, senior catcher Anthony DiNello also lent a hand. DiNello picked off a runner at second to prevent a run in the fourth inning.
“Things like that are how we progress and win championships,” DiNello said. “We want to have the little things down pat so when the game gets bigger, the moment won’t get too big for us, and we can continue to stay compact and do the little things correctly.”
Mike Anderson is a high school sports reporter who has covered 12 sports so far at Newsday. He was the sports editor of Stony Brook University's campus newspaper for two years.
