Great Neck South varsity baseball got back on the winning track last week, taking all three games in a series against Hewlett. This puts the Rebels record at 6-8, and makes the .500 mark a realistic goal. This week's set is versus New Hyde Park, highlighted by a home game Friday, May 15 at 4 p.m.

On Wednesday, May 6, South went on the road to win game one against Hewlett behind the solid pitching of junior, Matthew Brustien. Coming off a shutout in his last start, Brustien did it again, with a 2-0 blanking. He was working on a no-hitter into the final inning, but couldn't pull it off. Hewlett's lead off batter in the seventh hit a hot smash to third base, and was awarded a legitimate single to end the no-no. This must have angered Brustien because he proceeded to strike out the last three hitters to end the contest. Matthew finished with a season high 12 k's and four walks. The Rebels got the only run they would need in the fourth inning. Jon Isopo reached on a base on balls, moved up on an infield error, and got knocked in on Douglas Klein's clutch single. South added an insurance run in the fifth inning. Francis Lindo singled, moved into scoring position, and was plated on an RBI hit by Brustien, helping his own cause.

On Thursday, May 7, the series shifted to Great Neck for the next two games. The Rebels put Francis Lindo on the mound, and he pitched beautifully. South's offense awoke, and led the team to a 10-1 victory. In the first inning, the Rebels got a run producing single from Jon Isopo to send Lindo home. South scored four times in the third. Danny Abrahams walked, stole two bases, and scored on a wild pitch. Matthew Brustien doubled and came home on Douglas Klein's hit. After Isopo walked, he and Klein pulled off a double steal, and both scored on a Hewlett error. In the fourth, South broke the game open with four more runs. Greg Dolinsky was hit by the pitch, Abrahams bunted his way on, and Lindo had an infield hit to load the bases. Brustien hit a clean single to score two, Klein hit a sacrifice fly to left field for a run, and Isopo had another RBI hit. The Rebels got their final run in the sixth, when Isopo tripled and scored on a ground out by Glen Fratangelo. Lindo gave up an unearned run in the sixth, struck out nine, walked one, hit a batter, and allowed four hits.

On Friday, May 8, the two teams played a thriller to end the series. South pulled it out in extra frames, 4-3. Greg Dolinsky got the nod, and pitched into the seventh inning. Hewlett had a 2-0 lead as the Rebels came to bat in the fourth. Jon Isopo doubled and went to third on a ground out. Sam Silverstein was hit by the pitch and then stole second base. With two out and two men in scoring position, Taylor Shapiro had a huge two RBI single to left. South took the lead, 3-2 in the fifth. Danny Abrahams had a bunt single and Francis Lindo singled as well. Abrahams eventually scored on a passed ball. Dolinsky had allowed only five hits, one walk, and struck out four as he went to the hill in the top of the seventh. After getting a leadoff double, Hewlett tied the score with a triple. When Dolinsky walked the next batter, manager Neil Gederberg decided to make a change. He brought in Matthew Brustien with men on first and third, nobody out, and the score tied. Brustien didn't let his manager down, by striking out three straight hitters, to end the threat. The Rebels loaded the bases in their half of the seventh, but couldn't win the game, yet. With the rain falling, the umpires decided to let the teams play one more inning. Despite walking a batter, Brustien struck out two more, ran his scoreless innings streak to 16, and gave his teammates a chance to win it in the bottom of the eighth. And that's just what they did. Abrahams drew a two-out base on balls, stole second and then stole third. He crossed home with the winning run on a wild pitch.