Allen Leads Split over Lakers

BRIGHTON, N.Y. -- A broken finger on his throwing hand nearly short-circuited Zachary Allen's senior season of high school.

The former McQuaid Jesuit Knight made a speedy recovery and by the opening game of 2022 was ready to take his spot in the lineup. Throwing from the mound, though, was out of the question as the Greece, New York native continued to rehab the injury.

So on a team that included starting pitchers Daniel McAliney (now on the staff at SUNY Binghamton), Will Taylor (Marist College) and current McQuaid starter, Matt Wilmarth, Allen roamed centerfield and hit near the bottom of the order.

McQuaid finished 19-5 on the season and claimed its second NYSPHSAA Class AA championship in as many attempts without Allen throwing so much as a single pitch.

One year later, Allen is at the top of the Monroe Community College pitching rotation, and Thursday's performance only further solidified that fact.

Making his 10th start of the 2023 campaign, Allen hurled his fifth complete game, and Monroe CC Baseball (16-25) salvaged a doubleheader split with Finger Lakes Community College (2-14/3-1) in NJCAA action from Tribune Field, Thursday.

"It felt great," Allen said. "I was just trying to compete for my team. We were up early. I gave up the run and then I was just trying to wait it out until we could scratch some runs across."

Allen struck out seven without issuing a walk and allowed five hits for his sixth win of the season. He retired 10 straight from the end of the third inning through the sixth and 13 of the last 15 batters faced.

"Definitely getting ahead with the first-pitch fastball, that's what I was trying to do the whole day. Trying to work ahead as much as I could. The more you fall behind, the more fastballs they're going to see, so trying to get ahead early and then mix in my off-speed."

A one-out double in the third followed by a two-out single kept Allen from his second shutout of the season.

"I was trying to make sure that I locked down so that they didn't get another run. Just trying to make sure I give my team the best opportunity to win. Whether I give up five runs or one run, I'm trying to give us an opportunity to win the ball game."

He improved his record to 6-4 on the year with Thursday's win.

"It's been great to watch him really develop," said battery mate CJ Phelps (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) who has played alongside Allen since the two were in the ninth grade at McQuaid. "I knew he always had it in him and he could always pitch. He needed the right opportunity, and he's really showing what he can do this year. I'm proud of him. I'm happy for him."

With a fastball in the mid-80s, Allen has struck out a team-best 46 this season while issuing 11 walks over a team-high 53.1 innings of work.

"Although it's 84-85 (miles per hour), he releases from so far out in front and he hides it really well that it gets on you a little bit," Phelps said. "A little bit quicker than you might think.

"He's 6-4, 6-5 with super-long arms. He does a great job of getting down the mound. Some of the swings he gets, especially earlier in the game, the first pitch they're late on the fastball. They're like 'oh, that's a little faster than I thought it was.' It gets on you for sure."

Phelps connected on a one-out single in the second and eventually scored on an RBI groundout from Will Russotti (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) to give the Tribunes a 1-0 lead.

Dylan Wanat (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North) drove in a pair of runs with a two-out single in the fifth for the final margin of victory. Russotti reached on a one-out hit by pitch in the fifth and moved to third on a ground-rule double from Alex Simons (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder). Patrick May (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) walked, and Wanat delivered with his team-leading 24th and 25th RBI of the season.

May had a single and a walk over three plate appearances in the win. Lucas Brown (Toronto, ON/Humberside Collegiate Institute) and Joe Grzeskowiak (Henrietta,N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) both went 1-for-3 with a single.

MCC pitchers issued 12 walks in Game 1, a 14-2 loss.

The Tribunes grabbed an early lead. Wanat singled with two outs in the first and came home on a Connor Kiefer (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors) double. Kiefer eventually scored on a passed ball for a 2-0 MCC lead.

FLCC (38-13) tied the game in the fourth before adding three runs in the fifth, two runs in the sixth and seven more to close out the game.

May doubled and walked in Thursday's opener. Connor Sackett (Rochester, N.Y./Fairport) and Simons had a single apiece.

Monroe will host UConn-Avery Point in the NJCAA Division II East District Playoff next weekend. A 1 p.m. first pitch is scheduled on Friday for game one of a best-of-three. The series continues on Saturday (1 p.m.) with Sunday (1 p.m.) if necessary.