Christian Danzilo's gem gives Wantagh Game 1 win over Seaford
Wantagh players congratulate Christian Danzilo after his two-hitter in Game 1 of the Nassau Class A baseball championship series against Seaford on Thursday at Farmingdale State College. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
All Christian Danzilo needs is a lead.
“It’s going to take a lot of hits to come back because he’s not going to walk a lot of people,” Wantagh coach Keith Sachs said of his senior lefthander. “So it’s a good feeling to know that.”
After scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning, Wantagh held a lead it knew it would not surrender.
Danzilo pitched a two-hitter with six strikeouts in a 6-1 win over Seaford in Game 1 of the best-of-three Nassau Class A baseball championship series Thursday at Farmingdale State. He walked three and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, when he allowed his only two singles.
“I just trust my guys so much,” Danzilo said. “I know they’ll always make the plays for me in the field, and I know everyone in our lineup can get a big hit in a big spot.”
Danzilo, an Oneonta commit, improved to 8-1.
“Everything was good today,” he said. “I just left one over the plate, and they got it. They’re a good-hitting team. They can get it if I leave one over . . . You can’t take them lightly.”
Wantagh (22-3), the No. 1 seed from Nassau Conference A-I, and Seaford (18-9), the No. 3 seed from Nassau A-II, will meet in Game 2 at noon Friday at Farmingdale State.
Tommy Wunderlich hit an RBI triple and Ryan Conigliaro had an RBI groundout to give Wantagh a 2-0 first-inning lead.
Wantagh extended its lead to 3-0 in the second when Charlie Cascino hit an RBI single to drive in Frankie McNally, who had a two-out double.
“We never slow down, and we always stay there,” Danzilo said. “We’ll always keep that same mentality through everything, no matter when in the game, until the last pitch is thrown.”
Wantagh added three runs in the sixth, stretching its advantage to 6-0 on RBI singles by Michael Avitabile and McNally and a run-scoring infield error.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Dylan Alt hit a single to give Seaford its first hit. Two batters later, Jordan Cassuto hit an RBI single.
Wantagh is in the county title series for the second straight year, having lost to Clarke in three games last season. It is a win away from its first Nassau crown since 2018.
“It’s amazing. We were sitting here same spot last year,” Danzilo said. “So we know we got to get it back this year.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
