To be precise, an eight-run gap separated the two teams that entered the game in a three-way tie with the Center Moriches Red Devils for second place, two games behind the league-leading Port Jefferson Royals. That eight-run gap was in McGann-Mercy's favor, thanks primarily to its hitting.

The Monarchs put on quite a hitting display, belting 14 hits in their 13-5 defeat of the Clippers in the opening game of their three-game league series on Tuesday. Chris Sachalk was among eight Monarchs (12-5, 12-4 League VIII) to get at least one hit. The third baseman went 4 for 4 and knocked in four runs as the Monarchs scored in five of the seven innings. "It was definitely a good day for us," Sachalk said. "Everything went our way."

Surely, it wasn't the sort of game you might have expected of two teams involved in one of the closest races for the League VIII championship in recent memory.

According to Clippers Coach Mike Carver, the records don't lie. "I would say the records are dead on," he said. "These teams, I think, are pretty even teams. I really do."

But even games between equal teams can produce unequal results. Sometimes it just seems as if it's going to be one team's day, and on Tuesday that team was McGann-Mercy.

"It could be one team's day, one team's inning," Monarchs Coach Ed Meier Jr. said. "Baseball is a crazy, crazy game, which is why we love it."

Meier had a lot to love about what he saw Tuesday, when the Monarchs hit 7 for 18 with runners in scoring position. "A lot of those hits were the other way with two strikes," Meier said. "That's good hitting."

The Nos. 3, 4 and 5 batters in McGann-Mercy's order -- Matt Izzo, Chris De Gennaro and Sachalk -- were particularly effective, going a combined 7 for 12 with two runs batted in apiece. "If [pitchers are] not hitting corners against those guys, they'll make them pay," said Meier.

That's what Izzo, De Gennaro and Sachalk did in the third inning when they stroked successive run-scoring doubles to spot their side a 6-1 lead.

Sachalk had quite a productive day, later adding a run-scoring single in the fifth, and then a two-run single in the sixth that made it 13-4. Earlier in the sixth, teammate Mike Torres had swatted a two-run single.

Matt Pirraglia (5-1) picked up the complete-game win, allowing eight hits, three walks and striking out three. He threw 63 of 93 pitches for strikes.

Joe Barszczewski drove in Southold/Greenport's first four runs through a run-scoring single up the middle and a three-run homer that landed close to the left-field foul line. After giving it a good look, the umpire motioned his hand for Barszczewski to round the bases for his second home run of the season.

Still, as Barszczewski saw it, the difference in the game was simple: "They hit and we didn't."

With the regular season headed toward the final stretch, the Monarchs haven't given up hope of retaining their league title. "I think we still have a chance," Sachalk said. "I don't think many people expected us to do as good as we did last year, but I think the way that we played today definitely showed we still have something there."

The Clippers (11-6, 11-5), meanwhile, are looking at the bigger picture, beyond the regular season.

"We're playing for seedings right now ... and we can't afford to drop any more games," Carver said. "We just want to play solid ball."