John I Leonard Moves Above .500 With Cortina, Martinez Gem

Although it is still early and there is a lot of baseball left to be played, getting wins early can make a big difference in how the team starts. Deep into a tie ball game with Oxbridge Academy on Wednesday night, the John I. Leonard Lancers found a spark in a crucial moment. Coming into the game with a 1-1 record, a loss would have pushed them below .500 and climbing uphill needing at least two wins to get back on the winning side.

But thanks to a six-run eruption in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lancers now have themselves a winning record and a comeback worth celebrating.

“This was a really big win for our program, and just I can’t say how proud I am of how hard our kids played tonight,and doing it the right way,” Lancers Manager Casey Beck said. “I can’t be more happy. This is one of my favorite wins I think I’ve ever had. Just seeing kids execute plays that we call, pick offs, holding tags, battling, and not having their head down. And when something bad happened, we bounced right back. I’m just so proud of these young guys.”

The first four Lancers all reached base in the sixth to get the rally going. Guillermo Martinez-Vazquez reached on an error, Lemay Cortina followed with a bunt single and Angel Ortiz was intentionally walked to load the bases. Martinez tied the game on a passed ball, Cortina came in on a wild pitch and then Eric De La Cruz drove in two more when he also reached base.

With all the momentum in their favor, Leonard then piled on two more insurance runs on back-to-back RBI doubles from Nalan Crespo and Lanier Febles.

Cortina also scored to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning. After reaching base on an error, he came around to cross the plate thanks to an RBI single from Angel Ortiz.

The Thunderwolves (2-1) took control in the top of the fourth to end the scoreless battle. Carlo Vazquez singled to center, advanced on an error and scored on an RBI ground out from Brandon Langley.

“It was a real pitchers duel for the majority of the game, and we just battled and I’m so proud of my pitchers and my catcher and my young guys that have been working hard, finally getting some hits tonight off of a really good team,” Beck said. “Don’t let them fool you; they’re going to be a really good team in the future. Shout out to Coach Bustabad and his team for giving us a great game tonight. We’re just very thankful and very lucky to get the win and finish it off, because in years past we would have rolled over. Tonight, we showed up and got the job done. So shout out to my coaching staff and all my players.”

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