‘Juggernaut’ ends Am Studies’ season

Their season had ended just minutes earlier when High School of American Studies coach Howard Blitz huddled his team together under a tree just past third base for what would be the final on-field get together for both Blitz and his seven seniors.

Some of the Senators took a knee to listen to Blitz’s speech while others leaned on teammates as more than a few tears were being shed.

The rallying cry all year for American Studies was to return to the PSAL ‘AA’ championship game at Yankee Stadium and this time come away with the coveted hardware. But just as they did last year when they shut out the Senators for the title, East Side Community High School, located in lower Manhattan, bested American Studies again, this time in the quarterfinal-round of the PSAL playoffs as senior right-hander Tim Lopez no-hit the Senators in a 4-0 East Side victory.

This was not how the script was supposed to end for American Studies, a senior-dominated team that was looking for that elusive championship and hoping to earn one for the retiring Blitz.

“This is extremely disappointing,” said senior pitcher Jack Buckley. “This is a team that we know should have and could have competed for the championship and to not get to make it there in our last year really hurts. But they played better than us, they hit the ball and got clutch hits when they had to and their pitcher shut us down the whole game.”

Yes, Lopez was stellar as he no-hit the Senators while striking out 11 as he posted his second shutout versus American Studies in his last two starts against the Senators.

“I always say good pitching always stops good hitting and we didn’t get a hit. But even with that, we had our chances,” said Blitz, who is retiring from coaching after 35 seasons in the Public School Athletic League. “We just ran into a juggernaut two years in a row. They beat us at the Stadium last year and we didn’t hit him then either. Some of my guys have a tendency to get intimidated by a good pitcher. Not all of them but some of them. And that’s what happened today.”

East Side managed to push across two runs in the top of the first and didn’t score again until they plated a pair in the seventh. But in between, the Senators had a couple of chances to even the score or even take the lead despite going hitless. In the bottom of the fourth, Eli Kimbell reached base after striking out before the ball got past East Side catcher Isaiah Perez who then sailed his throw down the right field line as he attempted to nip Kimbell at first. The error left Kimbell on third base with just one out but East Side escaped the jam when Lopez struck out both Buckley and Jakob Feinstein to end the inning.

American Studies threatened again in the bottom of the fifth as both Casey Press and Noah Koy opened the inning with walks. One out later, Chris Campuzano also walked to load the bases with just one out, but again Lopez wiggled out of the jam by fanning Julian Trebach and getting Noah Gordon to pop out to second.

Bases loaded

American Studies loaded the bases one last time in the last of the seventh, but Lopez struck out Gordon to end the game and the Senators dream of a championship.

“We definitely had our opportunities,” said Feinstein, who will be moving on to the University of Chicago in the fall. “I know one time we had bases loaded with one out and didn’t score. I personally came up with a man on third and I struck out. So hats off to [Lopez]. He pitched an incredible game. No excuses. He knew how to pitch around us and he got us out. Congratulations to East Side, they played a hell of a game.

“We didn’t have that clutch hits. We didn’t have any hits actually,” said Buckley, who will be playing baseball at Franklin & Marshall University in Pennsylvania next year. “That’s what we did all year, clutch hits, and it kind of fell apart here at the end. A lot of it is because their pitcher is very good. He just took control of the game. It kind of hurts knowing this is the last time we get to put the jersey on and especially to go out this way, against the team that beat us last year, it makes it sting even a little more.”

Blitz tried to point out the positives to his heartbroken players after the game. 

“They were upset but I told them you have to put everything in perspective,” Blitz said. “The seniors played for the city championship not once but two times and then they went pretty deep this year. That’s nothing to be ashamed of. We have the smallest, little tiny school [in the league]. It’s not like I can find another catcher or shortstop if I needed one. They don’t exist. What I got is what I got.”

Promise kept

Blitz, who retired as a teacher a year ago, came back this season for one last go-around with his seniors, fulfilling a promise he made to them several seasons back.

“When they were freshmen and we went to the championship I promised them I’d be around until they graduated, so I kept my promise,” Blitz said. “This was my 35th season in the PSAL. I’m tired and I’ve had enough. I have no regrets about the whole thing. I feel bad for the kids, though. They wanted it badly.”

The loss was doubly disappointing for the seven seniors — Buckley, Feinstein, Kimbell, Gordon, Koy, Gordon and Bo Wilke. Not only are their high school careers over, but friends will now scatter in all directions for college in the fall.

“There’s something special about the high school level,” Buckley said. “These are the guys I’ve grown up with for four years.”

Feinstein, who was one of the league’s top-tier catchers, was also as upset at friends going their separate ways as he was with the loss.

“The loss sucks, but life does go on,” Feinstein said. “I’ve had an incredible time here and I wouldn’t want it any other way, except obviously to win. I’m with the people hopefully I have until the day I die and it was great playing on this team. I’ve grown so close with these guys. Some of them are my best friends and I would never want to lose a connection with them. The bonds you make on the field always stay with you.”

Blitz said there will still be an occasion or two for the team to come together again before school ends in a couple of weeks. Something that will help ease the sting of the loss.

“We’ll be together one more time on Wednesday, when we have our awards banquet,” Blitz said. “And then I’ll take them out as a team sometime after that.”

As for Feinstein, he was ready to put the loss behind him quickly in order to enjoy what remains of his senior year at American Studies.

“Reality is reality and I’ve always prided myself as someone who always faces reality,” Feinstein said. “I know baseball is over, but I have a little bit of senior year left. I still have prom to go to. You’ve got to live it up. You only have one life on this earth and you need to make it as great as you can.”

Sports notebook

The two northwest Bronx softball teams left standing in the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) are standing no longer as both Bronx High School of Science and the David A. Stein Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy (RKA) saw their seasons come to an end in the playoffs last week.

Bronx Science, which was seeded fifth in the PSAL ‘A’ playoffs, was upset by No. 20 Susan Wagner of Staten Island, 12-2, in a quarterfinal-round game played at Harris Field. Alexa Magsuci had an RBI and scored a run and Cayla Einstein also scored for the Wolverines, who finished their season with a 12-4 record.

RKA, which was playing in the PSAL ‘B’ quarterfinals, were ousted from the playoffs by Scholars Academy of Rockaway Beach in a 12-5 loss. The Tigers concluded their season with a 17-2 record.