News

The crowd at the Montauk School for the HCBL’s first game in Montauk since 2016 saw history made at the inaugural Montauk Classic between the Bucks and Whalers. Trey Zaffiro (Lafayette) became the fourth Whaler in franchise history to throw a no-hitter and pitched the tenth no-hitter in HCBL history as the Whalers beat the Bucks by a score of 11-0 in five innings.

 

Zaffiro only allowed one Shelter Island baserunner in the game, a walk to Billy Fluharty (Bucknell) in the top of the fourth inning. The Manhasset native struck out seven Bucks batters while only allowing one walk.

 

Jake Walman (Seton Hall) started the offense for Sag Harbor with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning. The Whalers then scored five runs in the following inning, highlighted by a grand slam home run from Tyler Sirchia (Dartmouth), putting the Whalers ahead 7-0.

 

Sag Harbor plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth on Sirchia’s fifth RBI of the game, being an RBI single that made it 8-0. Derek Desmarais (Tufts) hit an RBI single of his own that made the score 9-0.

 

After Zaffiro hurled his fifth no-hit inning, the Whalers came up to bat looking to end the game via the mercy rule and give Zaffiro the no-hitter.

 

With a runner on base for the Whalers with one out in the bottom of the fifth, Dylan Kennedy-Fujah (St. John’s) hit a two-run home run, giving the Whalers an 11-0 win and Zaffiro the no-hitter.

 

It is the Whalers' first no-hitter since Chris Sheehan (Wofford) pitched a five-inning no-hitter against the Southampton Breakers in 2016. Phil Klein (Youngstown State) pitched the first no-hitter in Whalers/HCBL history, tossing a perfect game against the Metro NY Cadets in 2008. Tim Welch (Bowdoin) threw the second Whalers no-hitter the following season in 2009 against the North Fork Ospreys.

 

HCBL No-Hitters

 

7-13-08: Phil Klein* (Hampton/Youngstown St.), vs. Metro NY, 8-0, (7 Innings)

 

7-5-09: Tim Welch (Bowdoin/Sag Harbor), vs. North Fork, 8-0 (7 Innings)

 

7-14-09: Brett Moore (Mount St. Mary’s/Southampton), vs. North Fork, 6-0 (7 Innings)

 

6-5-12: Brendan Butler (Fairleigh Dickinson/Center Moriches), Anthony Gatto (UMBC/Center Moriches), John Maloney (High Point/Center Moriches), vs. Shelter Island, 2-0 (9 Innings)

 

7-1-16: Chris Sheehan (Wofford/Sag Harbor), vs. Southampton, 11-0 (5 Innings)

 

7-23-17: Chase Phelps (Fort Wayne/North Fork), vs. Southampton, 3-0 (7 Innings)

 

7-8-19: Bobby Vath (NYIT/Riverhead), vs. Shelter Island, 2-0 (7 Innings)

 

6-29-23: Henry Escandon (Catholic U/Southampton), Connor Schlidt (St. Joseph’s (LI)/Southampton), Jacob Pedersen (Adelphi/Southampton), vs. Shelter Island, 7-1 (7 Innings)

 

7-11-24: Aden Soroca (Hamilton/Southampton), vs. Shelter Island, 14-1 (6 Innings)

 

6-19-25: Trey Zaffiro (Lafayette/Sag Harbor), vs. Shelter Island, 11-0 (5 Innings)

 

 

* Perfect Game