Greenburgh Comes Back Twice To Win A-Division Championship
Published by Thapos Admin
May 17, 2018
Greenburgh has always been a team with a lot of "fight" in them. Today they battled in a tight, back-and-forth contest, twice overcoming a one-run deficit, to win their first WHSL A-Division championship.
This game featured the A-Divisions two best teams at preventing runs, so both squads knew that solid defense and clutch hitting would be the keys to victory.
WJC put pressure on Greenburgh early, loading the bases on three infield singles in the top of the first inning. But in what would become a theme of this game, WJC couldnt get a hit with the runners in scoring position, instead driving home a single run with a sac fly and leaving the bases loaded.
The score remained 1-0 WJC until the bottom of the second. WJC pitcher Jon Nissenblatt was cruising when WJCs shortstop and third baseman converged on an easy infield popup. Both players called the ball, but nobody caught it. That prolonged the inning, leading to a single that tied the game at one.
Defense ruled the game during the early innings. Nissenblatt was pitching backwards throwing changeup after changeup. Occasionally he would mix in a fastball to keep Greenburghs hitters off-balance. In the bottom of the third, Greenburgh almost started a rally, but WJCs Jordie Zelin in left-centerfield made a spectacular diving catch to preserve the tie.
Greenburghs pitcher Adam Eis wasnt giving up anything either. His outfielders were playing very shallow behind him. They caught several line drives that would have fallen in for singles if Greenburgh had been playing standard outfield depth.
With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Eis knocked an opposite-field double down the left-field line. When the WJC outfielder bobbled the ball, Eis hustled to third. Jeff Pearlman chopped a grounder to third base and hustled down the line. WJCs third basemans throw was in the dirt and couldnt be scooped. Greenburgh had their first lead of the game, 2 to 1.
Greenburghs lead remained intact until the top of the seventh. A walk and two singles tied the game. An error loaded the bases. But Greenburgh shortstop Evan Eisen made a nice play on a hard shot to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Greenburgh catcher Stephen Feldschuh knocked his third single of the game to start a rally, but Art Kaplans sons, playing shortstop and second base for WJC, turned a sweet double play to get out of the inning.
It seemed that the great double play signified a huge shift in momentum. In the top of the eighth, Greenburghs shallow outfield play finally caught up with them. Alex Weisberger led off with a monster home run, giving WJC a 3-2 lead. Dave Kaplan followed up with a long triple over the left-center-fielder. It looked like WJC would have at least a two-run cushion with two innings to play. But the next three WJC batters went down -- on a popup to the pitcher, a popup to the shortstop and a lineout to right. WJC didnt have insurance, but they did have the lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, Greenburgh put a man on first with one out. Pearlman shot a line drive to left-center. Greenburghs runner on first ran hard all the way and reached third just ahead of the throw. Pearlman hustled all the way to second. Jeff Friedman then hit a line drive single off WJC pitcher Jon Nissenblatts glove, tying the game at three. After a walk to load the bases. Greenburgh first baseman Robert Klaus came to bat.
Klaus chopped a grounder right at WJCs third baseman. The third baseman threw home to get the force. WJCs catcher tried to complete a 5-2-3 double play by throwing to first, but his throw tailed into Klaus. First baseman Dave Kaplan couldnt get through the big Greenburgh runner, and the ball rolled into right field. Greenburghs runners from first and second both came all the way around to score. Klaus tried to make it to third on the play, but was gunned down. Still, Greenburgh now held a 5-3 lead.
In the top of the ninth, Eis coaxed two grounders and a pop-up to Eisen. And Greenburghs celebration was under way.
This game featured the A-Divisions two best teams at preventing runs, so both squads knew that solid defense and clutch hitting would be the keys to victory.
WJC put pressure on Greenburgh early, loading the bases on three infield singles in the top of the first inning. But in what would become a theme of this game, WJC couldnt get a hit with the runners in scoring position, instead driving home a single run with a sac fly and leaving the bases loaded.
The score remained 1-0 WJC until the bottom of the second. WJC pitcher Jon Nissenblatt was cruising when WJCs shortstop and third baseman converged on an easy infield popup. Both players called the ball, but nobody caught it. That prolonged the inning, leading to a single that tied the game at one.
Defense ruled the game during the early innings. Nissenblatt was pitching backwards throwing changeup after changeup. Occasionally he would mix in a fastball to keep Greenburghs hitters off-balance. In the bottom of the third, Greenburgh almost started a rally, but WJCs Jordie Zelin in left-centerfield made a spectacular diving catch to preserve the tie.
Greenburghs pitcher Adam Eis wasnt giving up anything either. His outfielders were playing very shallow behind him. They caught several line drives that would have fallen in for singles if Greenburgh had been playing standard outfield depth.
With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Eis knocked an opposite-field double down the left-field line. When the WJC outfielder bobbled the ball, Eis hustled to third. Jeff Pearlman chopped a grounder to third base and hustled down the line. WJCs third basemans throw was in the dirt and couldnt be scooped. Greenburgh had their first lead of the game, 2 to 1.
Greenburghs lead remained intact until the top of the seventh. A walk and two singles tied the game. An error loaded the bases. But Greenburgh shortstop Evan Eisen made a nice play on a hard shot to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Greenburgh catcher Stephen Feldschuh knocked his third single of the game to start a rally, but Art Kaplans sons, playing shortstop and second base for WJC, turned a sweet double play to get out of the inning.
It seemed that the great double play signified a huge shift in momentum. In the top of the eighth, Greenburghs shallow outfield play finally caught up with them. Alex Weisberger led off with a monster home run, giving WJC a 3-2 lead. Dave Kaplan followed up with a long triple over the left-center-fielder. It looked like WJC would have at least a two-run cushion with two innings to play. But the next three WJC batters went down -- on a popup to the pitcher, a popup to the shortstop and a lineout to right. WJC didnt have insurance, but they did have the lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, Greenburgh put a man on first with one out. Pearlman shot a line drive to left-center. Greenburghs runner on first ran hard all the way and reached third just ahead of the throw. Pearlman hustled all the way to second. Jeff Friedman then hit a line drive single off WJC pitcher Jon Nissenblatts glove, tying the game at three. After a walk to load the bases. Greenburgh first baseman Robert Klaus came to bat.
Klaus chopped a grounder right at WJCs third baseman. The third baseman threw home to get the force. WJCs catcher tried to complete a 5-2-3 double play by throwing to first, but his throw tailed into Klaus. First baseman Dave Kaplan couldnt get through the big Greenburgh runner, and the ball rolled into right field. Greenburghs runners from first and second both came all the way around to score. Klaus tried to make it to third on the play, but was gunned down. Still, Greenburgh now held a 5-3 lead.
In the top of the ninth, Eis coaxed two grounders and a pop-up to Eisen. And Greenburghs celebration was under way.