Yet this past Thursday, May 1, Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy (9-0) was the favored team going into Crotona Park to meet last year’s B Division finalist, Jane Addams (8-1).
But after three innings of play, it appeared the favored team had some catching up to do, as Addams’ Joel Gonzalez hit a RBI double into centerfield making the score 1-0 after the 2nd inning, and Abel Infante hit a single up the middle that would score two more runs in the 3rd.
Riverdale was not about to give up that easy, as Matthew Solano hit a two run homerun over the left field fence, to pull within one of Addams.
Addams’ Alex German saw Solano’s homer and raised him another, giving his team a 4-2 lead with a solo shot in the 4th.
Riverdale would pull within one again on a sacrifice fly from Malcolm Harper, but that is as far as they would come. Addam’s Jimmy Bermudez followed with two consecutive 1-2-3 innings to shut the door on Riverdale’s comeback. Addams walked away with a 4-3 win and a tie for second place behind Morris High School in the B Division.
“We have a lot of talent and very good chemistry,” said Addams coach Joe Carpanzano. “We work hard and know the basics well.” He attributed the win to the clean defense and excellent pitching by his ace.
Bermudez, a junior, felt differently. “I was messed up after that homerun they hit, but I’m glad my team pulled through.”
Riverdale was just happy to hang tight with Bermudez. “We’re just happy we kept it as close as we did with their ace starting,” said Riverdale coach John Reingold, “I wouldn’t have done a thing differently.”
The coach also noted that this being their first loss, his team has nothing to hold their heads down about, saying that with one of the best pitchers in the league facing a first year starter, “We were just outplayed.”
