Senior pitcher Drew Levinson tossed a three-hit complete game as the Quakers defeated Nyack, 3-1.
Photos courtesy of Rick Waller
May 30, 2008
by David Liemer
It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.
After missing the playoffs last season for the first time in Coach Anthony Marino’s tenure and getting off to a sluggish start in 2008, the Horace Greeley Varsity baseball team returns to post-season action tomorrow in the Section 1 playoffs.
The Quakers finished the regular season at 12 - 12, going 8 - 6 in league play and earning the 14th seed in Section 1. They will play #3 seed Suffern this Saturday, May 31, at Suffern High School, at 11:00 a.m. If the weather turns inclement, check the Greeley Boosters website for information about whether the game is postponed as well as for directions to the game. http://www.greeleysportsboosters.org/spring/baseball.
Rallying to make the playoffs
A return to the playoffs didn’t seem so assured in early April. Due to the vagaries of the school calendar, Greeley had to forego its usual spring training trip to Florida. With cold weather, colder bats, and inopportune defensive miscues, the Quakers opened the season 0-5. They finally broke through with a 2-1 victory at Byram Hills on April 10 and rallied to win 12 of their remaining 19 games.
Greeley deliberately scheduled a challenging slate this year, facing perennial powerhouses Roy C. Ketcham, Mamaroneck, Lakeland, Arlington and John Jay-East Fishkill. The Quakers dropped five one-run games, including 1 - 0 heartbreakers against Harrison and rival Fox Lane.
Individual accomplishments
The Quakers were led this year by a trio of seniors who will continue their baseball careers in college: pitcher Drew Levinson (University of Rhode Island), first baseman Reid Carroll (Franklin & Marshall) and third baseman Spencer Ross (Swarthmore). Ross moved from third base to his former catcher position midway through the season, with hard-hitting sophomore Dylan St. John going to third. St. John paced Greeley with four home runs and 19 RBIs for the season, followed by Carroll with three home runs and 17 RBIs. Junior shortstop Andrew Mirabile led the team with 28 hits and a .378 batting average to go with his three home runs and 13 RBIs, just ahead of Ross at .375 and 12 RBIs. Junior Brett Norton led all Quakers with nine stolen bases. The team as a whole batted .316.
With junior second baseman Joe Vessecchia sidelined for the season with a wrist injury, senior Scott Scheine picked up the infield slack. Patrolling the outfield with stalwart defense and timely hitting were seniors Steve Kaminsky, Ryan Lichtenfeld and Josh Liemer. Sophomores Richie Giner and Jesse Zweibon added their potent bats to the Quaker attack.
Anchoring the pitching staff were starters Levinson, Norton and sophomore Trevor Ganzi, who paced the Quakers with a 3.65 ERA and 4 - 2 record. All three Greeley hurlers threw three complete games and notched over 30 strikeouts apiece. St. John, Zweibon, and juniors Ryan Murnane and Quinn Rhoda rounded out the pitching staff.
Season includes a game at legendary Doubleday Field in Cooperstown
Memorable moments of the season included a game against Arlington played at legendary Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, New York on a wintry April Sunday, a long bus ride that ended in a 7 - 1 defeat for the Quakers and a longer bus ride home.
Then there was April 19, Greeley’s longest baseball day in memory – a marathon seven-hour doubleheader in the Tanney Tournament. In the morning, Greeley jumped out to an early 11 - 2 lead against Centennial High School of Maryland, only to lose in extra innings, 16 - 15. In the afternoon, the Quakers faced host Mamaroneck, the top-ranked high school team in New York State and at the time ranked #25 in the entire country. Greeley managed to score the most runs any team did against the Tigers all season, falling 19-10.
All Quaker baseball fans are urged to cross the Tappan Zee Bridge to Suffern Saturday and cheer Greeley on in round 1 of the Section 1 playoffs. The first-round winner will meet the victor of John Jay-East Fishkill vs. Scarsdale in the quarterfinals on Monday, June 2.
David Liemer is an advertising creative director and longtime observer of the Chappaqua baseball scene.
Senior pitcher Drew Levinson tossed a three-hit complete game as the Quakers defeated Nyack, 3-1.
Senior first baseman Reid Carroll, a three-year starter for the Quakers.
Senior outfielder Josh Liemer lays down a bunt versus Nyack.
Senior catcher Spencer Ross tags out batter in Quakers’ 3-1 win over Nyack.
second baseman Scott Scheine makes the play as outfielders Steve Kaminsky and Ryan Lichtenfeld look on.
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