LAKE HUNTINGTON – The Sullivan West Bulldogs played two league games against the James I. O’Neill Raiders on Saturday at home. The Bulldog bats came alive after they got shutout, 4-0, at Port Jervis on Friday. Sullivan West took the first game, 11-0, in a five-inning mercy rule win and the second game, 21-9. 

Right-hander Jacob Hubert toed the rubber for the Bulldogs to start the day with the first pitch of game one coming shortly after 11 a.m. Hubert shut down the Raider bats and pitched a five-inning no-hitter, with the only blemish on his line being three walks. He also struck out four. 

Sullivan West wasted no time pouncing on the O’Neill pitching as they scored three runs in the first inning. As the Bulldogs loaded the bases, second baseman Adam Ernst drove in two with a single.  A batter later, third baseman Brandon Haass singled home Jacob Hubert who got on with a single of his own. 

The Bulldogs scored three more runs in the third inning, with Haass driving in two runs on another RBI single. Haass scored the third run of the inning, who right fielder Nic Perez drove in on a sac fly. 

They batted around in the fourth inning and scored five runs. Second baseman Adam Ernst and first baseman Allyn Walter each drove in and scored a run in the inning, while Ebert drove in a run and left fielder Austin Nystrom drove in two runs. Both Huberts and Haass also each scored a run. 

A 1-2-3 fifth inning for Jacob Hubert completed the no-hitter and the game in a mercy rule, 11-0. 

Haass started the second game for Sullivan West and pitched a strong first four innings. He set the order down in order through the first two innings before he loaded the bases in the fourth inning and gave up two runs. Overall, Haass struck out five over his four innings while surrendering those two runs on two hits and two walks. 

Already up 12-2 at that point, Bulldogs’ Coach Ty Ebert decided to put in Nystrom to pitch, despite the senior not pitching since seventh grade, according to his mother. The right-hander failed to record an out and was pulled for Ebert. The Raiders batted around in the frame and scored five runs to avoid another mercy rule. 

“It’s early in the season and we’ve got a lot of games coming up this week,” Coach Ebert said of the decision to go with Nystrom. “So we’ve gotta ration our arms.”

The Bulldogs scored six runs in the second and fourth innings and five runs in the sixth and seventh innings, batting around in each of those innings. Jacob Hubert recorded five RBI and three hits while Alec Hubert had five hits and three RBI in game two. The only spot in the lineup to not record a hit in the second game was the seven-hole, which was Haass and then Perez once Haass was out of the game. 

Ernst recorded four RBI which included a three RBI double in the fourth and three hits total. Haden Nicosia also recorded three hits and two RBI from the nine spot in the lineup. 

Ebert pitched the fifth after Nystrom and recorded all three outs before Alec Hubert closed out the final two innings. Alec Hubert gave up three runs in the sixth inning on a single and four walks before a 1-2-3 seventh with one strikeout completing the sweep. 

“It was a long day and a long afternoon,” Coach Ebert said. “But we got two league wins today.”

Sullivan West hosted Liberty on Monday afternoon following presstime. The Bulldogs entered Monday’s game 4-2 (3-1) after the doubleheader sweep.