CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - On Thursday, April 23, John Jay traveled to Walter Panas to renew its rivalry with the Panthers. As expected, the teams battled back and forth - but in the end, only one side got the last laugh.
With John Jay leading 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Henrik Zhai faced cleanup hitter Matt Garcia. Garcia delivered, driving in not only the tying run but the eventual game-winner.
John Jay set the tone early. Aidan Chernick led off with a single to right, stole second, and advanced to third on Jackson Moreo’s groundout. However, the Wolves couldn’t capitalize, as Jacob Storch struck out looking and Ben Kalish went down swinging.
Moreo took the mound and matched that early energy, recording a flyout and a strikeout before Luke Fisch ranged into right field to snag Tristan Pagliettini’s pop-up.
Sam Lange breezed through the top of the second, and the Panthers’ offense followed suit in the bottom half. After singles by Garcia and Lange, Gavin Alvarado doubled to give Panas a 1-0 lead.
John Jay couldn’t answer in the third, and Panas extended its advantage. Doubles from Jake Malfant, Pagliettini, and Garcia pushed the lead to 3-0, though Moreo limited further damage with a popout and a flyout.
The Wolves responded in the fourth. Moreo drew a walk to start the inning, and doubles by Storch and Kalish cut the deficit to 3-2. Then came an aggressive baserunning play - on Amogha Bhat’s grounder to short, Kalish broke for third, and a throw in the dirt allowed everyone to reach safely.
Fisch followed with a clutch single to drive in two runs, giving John Jay the lead. An error on Maiuolo’s grounder kept the rally alive, and the Wolves extended their advantage on Eli Tubbs’ RBI single and Nate Summer’s sacrifice fly, taking a 6-3 lead.
Moreo continued to deal, helped by strong defense. After striking out Brandon Maldonado, Bhat made a diving stop down the third-base line and threw out Ethan Feliciano. A ground ball to Storch resulted in a force at second to end the inning.
Both teams went quietly in the fifth before the game turned chaotic in the sixth. Fisch and Maiuolo drew walks to open the inning, and although a bunt attempt didn’t advance the runners, Summer walked to load the bases.
Chernick’s looping liner to short created confusion. Malfant couldn’t secure the catch, but his flip to second got the force. Feliciano’s relay to first bounced, allowing Fisch to score—but in the confusion, Tubbs believed the ball had been caught and was doubled off, ending the inning.
What could have been a bigger inning instead yielded just one run, and Panas quickly seized the momentum. Pagliettini and Garcia hit back-to-back home runs to cut the lead to 6-5. Zhai entered in relief and recorded two flyouts to escape further damage.
John Jay failed to add insurance in the top of the seventh, setting the stage for a dramatic finish. Mekuto led off the bottom half with a bloop single, and Pagliettini followed with a rocket down the left-field line to put runners on second and third with no outs.
Garcia stepped in with the game on the line. After working the count full, he battled Zhai before lifting a fly ball to center. The throw to third sailed into the dugout, allowing the tying and winning runs to score.
In a game filled with momentum swings and missed opportunities, John Jay was forced to settle for a tough 7-6 loss.
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