WPCNR PRESS BOX. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. April 12, 2005: The White Plains Tigers found themselves losing to Saunders in Yonkers after one inning by a score of 3 to 1, Monday.  But in the second inning, Mike Bivas got things going with a long ground rules double, that apparently hit a car on one bounce, and not on a fly ball, despite the protesting of Tiger Coach Galligani.  The Tigers tied it up at 3 in the top of the second, and Jake Riss was able to hold Saunders to only a two out single in the bottom of the second. 

With the Tiger fans still a bit upset that Bivas was not credited with a homerun, Sean Campbell came up in the third and crushed a pitch to centerfield to satisfy their hunger.  Campbell was swinging the bat well, and later in the game took a pitch deep to left for a grounds rule double.  But the Tigers were not all about power.  With Mike Crystal on third and Gary Morello on second, Matt Romano put down a suicide squeeze bunt.  Morello had such a jump off second base that he easily scored on the squeeze play, running just a few steps behind Crystal, as the pitcher scrambled to field the bunt and throw to first.

Meanwhile, Riss mowed down the side in order in the third and the fourth, but ran into trouble in the fifth.  Saunders led off with two grounders just out of the reach of shortstop Morello.  On a loose ball, the runners advanced to second and third with no out.  The Saunders’ lead-off batter was now up, and he had hit the ball well in his first two at bats.   Riss induced him to pop-up to Zettl at second, and the next batter followed with a pop out to Morello at shortstop.  Riss, who could have a good future in real estate because he is all about location, location and location, had not yet walked a batter. 

But with first base open and a dangerous number three batter at the plate, Coach Galligani called for an intentional pass.  It looked like a good move on Galligani’s part because the clean-up hitter had been the Saunders’ pitcher and he was now out of the game.  The batter coming up had not yet faced Riss, and quickly fell behind in the count at no balls and two strikes.  But Galligani wasn’t done yet.  Just when everyone was wondering if a high fastball or low curve was coming, Galligani called for a pick-off and Riss wheeled to first where Campbell had been playing behind the runner and came up to catch the throw and tag the runner in one smooth motion.  Saunders’ last threat came up empty and then the Tigers exploded with a 23 – 3 win. 

The Tigers are now 4 – 3 on the season and Riss has three wins with no defeats.  The Tigers are home Wednesday in a big game against their division rivals, Mt. Vernon.