There’s no disputing the spot-on words of coach Matt Raleigh following Maine-Endwell’s state championship-clinching victory Saturday against Suffolk County foe Kings Park.
“It was our time,” Raleigh shared following a contest that ranged from a tad tedious early to perfectly scintillating late at Mirabito Stadium, where the Spartans closed out a 5-3 win for New York’s Class A baseball title.
How better to sum up an afternoon on which:
▸ The Spartans triumphed though being rationed a mere four hits.
▸ Their starting pitcher was replaced one batter into the third inning, conclusion of which left the Long Islanders a 3-2 advantage.
▸ They scored the tying and go-ahead runs courtesy of an outfield collision that allowed a baseball to drop to the grass in the last of the third.
▸ And, to assure it’ll be a high-ranking entry among the program’s all-time highlights, they wrapped it up by pulling off a game-ending, bases-loaded double play — initiated by a piece of defensive genius from the pitcher who was tugged early.
And then, Maine-Endwell’s players, coaches and substantial gathering of faithful supporters celebrated.
Senior pitcher Preston Nezelek came through with unflinching work after succeeding freshman Michael Jamba, and the latter provided the play of the season for Maine-Endwell, which closed with a 22-5 record and a blend of joy, satisfaction and relief.
“It’s a great feeling, I’m so happy for the seniors, the leadership that I had with these guys throughout the year was amazing,” Raleigh said. “We’re definitely overachievers. That was a very good team we just beat but it was our time and our guys came through in the clutch.”
The phenomenal finish
The Spartans had blanked Kings Park for three successive innings through the sixth, which center fielder Liam Hadfield concluded by making a wonderful catch while scooting toward right field with two out and runners at first and second — and tacked on an exuberant fist pump upon securing the baseball.
But in the top of the seventh, the Kingsmen offered up three base hits in their first four cracks to load the bases. Raleigh paid Nezelek a visit on the mound, with infielders gathered.
The next batter, starting pitcher Everett Zarzicki, hammered a bouncer that third baseman Jamba craftily gobbled up, made right-shoe contact with the bag to erase the runner motoring from second and chucked a supremely accurate heater across the diamond to round out the win before jubilantly under-handing his mitt skyward.
“When I went out there with the bases loaded, I told Jamba, ‘This is coming your way, tag third and throw it across the infield to end the game —and it actually happened so it felt good. Although that hit scared me, I thought it was going to score a couple runs.
“It was hit extremely hard. We thought about bringing Adam DeSantis in right there, he’s someone who hasn’t pitched all year but he’s a big, intimidating guy. But we know Nez throws strikes. I said we’ve got to go first-pitch changeup, we did. The guy got a good piece of wood on it but thank God it went right to Jamba and he made one heck of a play.
“Our defense came through again. Pitching and defense was the key.”
More: Maine-Endwell one victory away from capturing Class A state baseball championship
Fortunate break for M-E
Kings Park took a 3-2 lead into the last of the third, but soon Maine-Endwell had the bases loaded courtesy of an error, a walk and a hit batsman. To the plate came Jamba, who sent a high fly to short right field. Defensive confusion led the backtracking second baseman and incoming right fielder to awkwardly collide. The ball descended to the ground and M-E had a lead it would not relinquish.
The Spartans completed scoring in the fourth, which began with Dominic Randesi smacking a double to deep right field and proceeded to a sacrifice fly by Jack Hennessey — who demonstrated his customarily dependable glove, footwork and strong arm throughout at shortstop.
‘Back to basics’ formula worked
Nezelek was outstanding, and clearly the proper call by Raleigh to enter the game.
“Preston coming in the third inning and gave us everything he had, started to run out of a little bit of gas but hats off, what a performance,” Raleigh said. “He did an amazing job. The goal was to go with Jamba, he’s got 4-5 pitches. He left some pitches up in the zone and they felt pretty comfortable against him. We know ‘Nez’ has one heck of a changeup and he can mix up speeds very well.
“Watching Kings Park on Friday night, they hit the mid-80s fastball pretty good so we went soft on them and it paid off.”
Nezelek, who indeed was aware he’d be next man up on the mound, addressed his frame of mind upon entering the state final.
“It’s same thing, like every time, throw strikes and trust the defense behind me. Go back to the basics — and it worked out,” he said. And of that bases-full pickle in the last? “Attack them, throw strikes and my defense will finish it off.”
Indeed.
Odds & ends
Raleigh paid repeated tribute to the 12th-graders on M-E’s roster, some of whom had a hand in the Spartans’ state runner-up football finish and final four basketball appearance this school year.
“Kudos to them, great leaders. We’re going to miss them and I’ll miss them greatly,” he said. “They’ve been great all year. It’s probably the first time in my 12-13 years of coaching that I didn’t have to raise my voice one time all season because they were such good kids.”
More: Maine-Endwell strikes early against Marlboro, heads to Class A state baseball final four
▸M-E pitchers allowed three or fewer runs — eight total — in four state playoff games.
▸ The Spartans and Kingsmen matched shutout victories in Friday’s semifinals.
▸ M-E was a state-final participant for the second time in the most recent four opportunities, 2019 (runner-up) and Saturday. The tournament was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because COVID-19.
