John Jay Suffers Tough 7-6 Loss at Panas

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On Thursday April 23, John Jay traveled to Walter Panas and renewed their rivalry with the Panthers. No surprise, the teams engaged in another back and forth, but only one team was getting the the last laugh.

With John Jay leading 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Henrik Zhai faced Matt Garcia at cleanup, and his drive not only scored the tying run but also the winning.

Nonetheless, the game began with an Aidan Chernick single to right. He stole second and moved to third on Jackson Moreo’s ground out to second. Unfortunately, Jacob Storch struck out looking, and Ben Kalish went down swinging.

Undeterred, Moreo took the mound. The starter got a fly out, a strikeout and Luke Fisch ranged into right field to snare Tristan Pagliettini’s pop up.

Sam Lange had a much easier go in the top of the second, and after retiring the side in order, his offense took the cue in the bottom. After Matt Garcia and Lange singled, Gavin Alvarado doubled in a 1-0 lead for the home team.

No reply from John Jay in the third, Panas kept coming. Doubles by Jake Malfant, Pagliettini and Garcia upped the lead to three. Even so, Moreo contained the damage by getting a pop up and a fly out.

Earning the thumbs up from Coach Ted Lawrence, the starter was rewarded for his persistence. Beginning with himself, Moreo walked, and Storch and Ben Kalish followed with doubles for a 3-2 game

Then the Wolves bucked baseball 101. On Amogha Bhat’s grounder to short, Kalish took off for third, and the throw in the dirt had everyone safe.

Next, Fisch responded with a single for two more runs, and another error on Maiuolo’s grounder to second kept the bases populated. John Jay finally closed the inning with a two run lead on a single by Eli Tubbs, and Nate Summer’s sacrifice fly to center.

Two strikeouts doing the trick for Lange, Moreo didn’t give it back, and Bhat played a big part. After Moreo got Brandon Maldonado on strikes, the John Jay third baseman made a diving stop on Ethan Feliciano’s hot shot down the line, and the out at first followed. A ground ball to Storch resulted in a force at second, and the game moved to the fifth.

Both teams going in order, the game got very interesting in the sixth. FIsch and Maiuolo walked to lead off the inning, and John Jay stood poised. A bunt down third by Tubbs didn’t move the runners up, but Summer made up for the miscue by walking.

The bases loaded with one out, Chernick’s hump back liner to short did the trick, and it didn’t. Malfant unable to catch on a fly, his flip to second got the force.

Although Feliciano’s relay to first short hopped the first baseman, and Fisch came around to score. Then confusion set in. Tubbs appeared to think that Malfant caught Chernick’s ball, and got the double play at second. So Tubbs headed for the dugout, and Panas put the tag on for the third out.

The 6-3 lead suddenly didn’t look so large now. Panas agreeing, Pagliettini and Garcia answered with back to back homers. Moreo giving way, Henrik Zhai got a pair of fly balls to preserve the lead.

Unfortunately, John Jay couldn’t add any insurance, and Panas sent the Wolves’ premium sky high in the bottom of the seventh. Matt Mekuto led off with a bloop single behind short, and Pagliettini left no doubt with his rocket down the left field line.

Second and third and no one out, Garcia had the game in his hands. Still, he fell behind in the count, but battled back to three and two.

Zhai not giving in either, the reliever kept John Jay in the game with a fly ball to center. Unfortunately, the throw into third landed in the dugout, and the Wolves forced to accept a 7-6 loss.

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