By PAUL GOTHAM
BRIGHTON, N.Y. — Dave Brust compared the play to those made frequently by an NFL hall-of-famer.
It occurred during the fifth inning of a three-run game with a runner on base and no outs.
Erie CC designated hitter Zachary Bedard (Quebec City/Foothills Composite HS) sent a ball fluttering into foul territory along the right side just beyond the infield.
When the play started, MCC first baseman Miguel Matos (Rochester, N.Y./East High) was holding a runner on the bag. With the pitch, he moved to his right before having to change direction.
The ball didn’t reach an apex so much as it rounded on an arc somewhat like a “dying quail,” – the softly hit pop fly that quickly drops to the turf. Instead this ball hung in the air as if to purposefully allow itself to float on the breezes that so often blow across the open fields of the Monroe Community College campus.
On this day, though, the rains that blew through less than an hour earlier left in their wake the slightest of gusts, and the ball danced as it climbed. As Matos scrambled to his left, he was able to gather his legs underneath him just in time as the ball started to drop. He left his feet and sprawled out to make a catch before it touched off the turf.
If this was a gridiron, a wide receiver had just taken away an opportunity for a defensive back to make a play.
“I would say that hitter got ‘Mossed,'” commented Brust. “That was Randy Moss right there. That was a great play, just so much of a momentum builder.”
Three batters later, the Tribunes (12-4) were back in the dugout, and on their way to a doubleheader sweep (2-1/4-1) of Erie Community College (12-10) in Western New York Athletic Conference action.
“That doesn’t show up as anything other than a P3,” Brust said referring to the abbreviation used in a baseball scorebook. “But that’s a big P3. That’s a momentum builder because the dugout comes alive, and you can just feel it. It’s great, and I think we kind of rolled from that point.”
The effort from Matos in the fifth set side by side with a sequence in the bottom of the first represented the difference in the game.
Stefano Peloso (Ottawa, ON/St. Pius X) came to the plate in the home half with two on and two out and popped up in foul territory behind home plate. The ball was misplayed and fell to the turf giving the Tribunes’ designated hitter a second chance.
He sent a flare to shallow center that should have been caught. Instead it fell among three Erie fielders. Thomas Woodridge (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius HS) and Michael Sardou (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili HS) scored on the play.
“We spend a lot of time talking about those plays that are good baseball,” Brust said. “And we celebrate good baseball. That’s kind of the theme. We talk a lot about those little things, the blocks, the double-play balls, and balls caught in foul ground. You celebrate good baseball because those plays are huge. They don’t say huge in the stat book, but they’re huge with momentum.”
Game 2 starter Tristan Pappas (Richmond Hill, ON/St. Theresa of Lisieux CHS) took advantage of the opportunity. The sophomore left-hander struck out seven against one walk and allowed one run on seven hits as he improved to 2-0 on the season.
Pappas struggled out of the gate, surrendering hits to the first three batters he faced in the first, but responded with a trio of strike outs to leave the bases loaded.
In the fourth, he started spiking balls off the turf, but escaped unscathed with a pair of runners on base.
“His pitch count was low,” Brust said. “He does a good job of digging himself out of his holes. I’d like to see him not dig holes, but nonetheless, you know, I think we’re more patient with him because his his changeup is so good. He can get a lot of swings and misses and bad contact.”
The MCC bullpen started getting busy in the fourth, and it looked like Pappas had reached his limit when Erie’s Ryan Boyle (Ramara, ON/Twin Lakes Secondary) reached on an infield single to start the fifth.
“He’s not someone that the phone starts ringing when, you know, he has a couple bad pitches or a bad at bat,” Brust said. “We have more patience with him, and we wanted him to complete the five innings. That was important.”
Getting five complete out of Pappas meant that Brust could go to his bullpen to start an inning rather than bringing in an arm and having to slow a rally. It also meant keeping the staff in order as the Tribunes prepare for twinbills on Saturday along with next Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It is a slippery slope managing today and what’s coming,” Brust said. “My philosophy is, it’s kind of like playing (the card game) euchre. I get my books (tricks) when I can get them. So focus on this game. But also kind of win the little battles like we’re finishing up and setting up a clean two innings for our reliever. It’s always a little easier on the relief staff, and they can come in. So that probably goes more into it than what’s coming, but that’s an added bonus.”
Jaden Sherwood (Batavia, N.Y./Notre Dame-Batavia) struck out three over two shutout innings of relief.
Braedon Reina (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) finished with 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the nightcap. Aaron Reina (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) was 2-3. Tanner Holmes (Allenford, ON/Owen Sound District) went 2-3 and crossed home once. Matos singled and scored.
Matos started and struck out nine over four and a third innings to pick up the win in Game 1. The right-hander, who worked through intermittent showers, allowed one run on five hits and three walks. He improved to 2-0 on the season.
Cameron Bentley (Toronto, ON/Humberside) retired eight of the nine batters he faced over 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. The left-hander struck out five and surrendered one hit.
Jadon Wanat (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville North) doubled to lead the third and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Woodridge. Zane Barron (Ormond Beach, FL/Seabreeze) singled and scored on a wild pitch in the third.
Tyler Cannon (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) was 2-3. Braedon Reina singled and walked. Sardou had a base hit.
Monroe hosts Niagara County Community College on Saturday. A 1 PM first pitch for Game 1 is scheduled at Tribune Field.
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