Plainedge baseball scores seven in first inning, Taylor Nitsch does rest on the mound to beat Seaford
Starting pitcher Taylor Nitsch of Plainedge throws to the plate during a Nassau baseball game against Seaford on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 in North Massapequa. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The first half of the baseball regular season is in the books for Plainedge, and the Red Devils could not have scripted a better 10 games.
One through nine, Plainedge’s lineup has showcased the ability to break a game open. And in each game to date, its starting pitching has been nothing short of dominant.
In Wednesday’s 11-1 home win over Seaford in five innings in a Nassau Conference A-II game, the whole arsenal was on display.
Plainedge (10-0, 8-0) plated seven first-inning runs, and junior righthander Taylor Nitsch did the rest, striking out nine, walking two and allowing only three hits and an earned run in a complete game. All nine Plainedge starters reached base safely.
“It’s been a fun season,” said Nitsch, who also went 1-for-2 with a double, a run scored and a stolen base. “I think we got a pretty good team out there … We're playing Plainedge baseball. Just doing what we do.”
The win gave the Red Devils a crucial series win over Seaford (10-2, 9-2). Plainedge beat the Vikings, 6-0, on the road Tuesday.
“The offense just doesn't stop producing,” said junior catcher Jayden Gaghan, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored. “No matter what the pitching is. And then we have three great starters and a great bullpen behind them. Just keep it rolling, no matter what.”
Brady Henderson went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored, Bobby Wescott went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored, and Jack Kregeloh went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Plainedge sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning. Wescott and Gaghan each hit two-run doubles, Kregeloh had an RBI single and Dom Santivasci crushed a two-run homer to left-centerfield to make it 7-0.
“To go out and put up seven runs, it obviously takes the pressure off of us and really helped Taylor settle in and kind of relax in a big game like this,” Plainedge coach Colin Fratrik said.
Seaford’s Thomas Apollo and Gaghan traded RBI singles to make it 8-1 after two innings. The Red Devils scored three more in the third after a two-run single by Henderson and an RBI groundout by Wescott.
In four starts, Nitsch (3-0) has struck out 28, walked five and allowed one earned run in 18 innings.
“He's a three-year starter,” Fratrik said. “He has a lot of experience, which helps him a lot. He's got a dominant fastball, and he throws his off-speed for strikes, keeps kids off balance. And he was hitting his spots today, which was obviously very effective.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
