Babylon boys baseball looks primed for title run
Owen Killeen, Babylon pitcher making his first varsity start, delivers to the plate during the top of the second inning of a Suffolk League VII baseball game against Port Jefferson at Babylon on Wednesday. Credit: James Escher
The high school baseball season is young, but Babylon looks the part of a team motivated to defend its 2024 Suffolk Class B title.
The Panthers lost only two players from last year’s squad and returned 16 seniors this spring. That winning pedigree has carried over to a dominant start in 2025.
Babylon scored six runs in the second inning and never looked back in a 13-4 home win over Port Jefferson in a Suffolk League VII game that went final after six innings Wednesday. Babylon, which had all nine starters reach safely, improved to 2-0.
It was the first meeting between the teams since last season’s winner-take-all county final, which ended in the same score.
“We come back with a lot more experience, and some of the younger guys are really stepping up,” coach Michael Birnbaum said. “Some guys who we didn't even have on the roster last year came in and know their role.”
Junior Owen Killeen earned the win in his first varsity start. He struck out five, walked five and allowed four hits and four runs (two earned) in a five-inning, 95-pitch performance.
“My curveball was working,” Killeen said. “I feel like with the cold a little bit, I was struggling with my command. But eventually I was able to just get through the innings and just let my team and the bats get the job done.”
Said Birnbaum: “He lives in the zone. He's got real good stuff, and he's a competitor.”
Jake Ostertag went 2-for-2 with an RBI, two walks, two runs scored and three stolen bases. Joe Cavallo went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Johnny Harkins went 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI, two runs scored and four stolen bases.
“We're here,” Harkins said. “We’re going to swing our bats. We're going to do our thing in the box. We're going to do our thing on the mound every time we come out.”
Port Jefferson (0-2) threatened in the second inning with runners on first and second and two outs in a scoreless game. Evan Raymond singled, but Cavallo rifled a flawless throw from centerfield to catcher Gio Rodriguez, who tagged Chris Lotten at the plate.
Brett Coffey’s two-run single opened the scoring in the second-inning outburst. The Royals never came within four runs.
In Babylon’s season-opening win over Mattituck on Monday, Gavin McDonnell and Cavallo twirled a combined no-hitter and the Panthers hit five homers.
“It's something special,” Killeen said. “These are the same kids that started last year, and now they're a year older … We have the tools to go all the way this year, and I think that we can.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
