Tyler Gurman leads No. 8 Lehman into the PSAL Class A semifinals against fourth-seeded Madison. (Damion Reid)
The Post’s PSAL baseball beat writer Zach Braziller breaks down this weekend’s Class A semifinal best-of-three series at MCU Park in Coney Island and the College of Staten Island.
SCHEDULE
FRIDAY @ MCU Park in Coney Island
4 p.m. – No. 2 George Washington vs. No. 3 Tottenville
7 p.m. – No. 4 James Madison vs. No. 8 Lehman
SATURDAY @ College of Staten Island
11 a.m. – No. 2 George Washington vs. No. 3 Tottenville
2 p.m. – No. 4 James Madison vs. No. 8 Lehman
SUNDAY (TBA)
No. 2 George Washington Trojans
Head coach: Steve Mandl
Record: 19-0
Player to watch: SS Mike Antonio
No. 3 Tottenville Pirates
Head coach: Tom Tierney Jr.
Record: 20-1
Player to watch: CF Zach Granite
Outlook: Two of the PSAL’s flagship schools meet in a star-studded three-game set. It includes a Big East center fielder (Granite), one of the northeast’s top pro prospects (Antonio), and an iconic coach (Mandl). It features two of the last three city champions – Tottenville won it all in 2007 while GW took the crown a year later – and the two most dominant teams this postseason.
“Two great programs, two great teams,” said Mandl, who recently picked up his 900th career win. “It should be a good series.”
In besting No. 30 Aviation, No. 14 Beacon, and No. 6 Morris, Tottenville has allowed only three runs while producing 22 of its own. The Pirates, who beat GW, 9-1, in non-league play, have arguably the deepest lineup in the city – eight-place hitter George Kantzian would hit cleanup for plenty of teams –and the 3-4 of first baseman Thomas Kain and catcher Kevin Krause in fearsome.
“They put the bat on the ball and they all seem to hit,” Mandl said.
The Trojans, however, don’t take a backseat to anybody. They were a chic preseason pick at the season’s outset, didn’t play their best ball during the midway point of the season, but have picked it up considerably as of late. They swept defending champion Norman Thomas the last week of the regular season to retake the Manhattan A East crown and have allowed just four runs in three playoff games. Ace Nestor Bautista has emerged in the absence of dynamic junior Yael Regalado (elbow) and catcher Nelson Rodriguez – one of the best sophomores in the city – has driven in seven runs this postseason.
“We have to stay focused and play hard, like we have been,” the LIU-bound Bautista said.
The two aces, left-handers Bautista and John Silva, won’t face one another since Silva went the distance in Tuesday’s 6-2 victory over Morris. Tottenville is likely to go with No. 2 starter Stephen Mattina, he of a 7-0 record, against Bautista. Probably Game 2 starters are Kevin Torres, a sophomore converted to the mound from shortstop, opposite Silva, a senior with a riding fastball in the mid-to-high 80’s.
No. 4 James Madison Knights
Head coach: Vinny Caiazza
Record: 19-0, Brooklyn A West
Player to watch: P Eddie Lenahan
No. 8 Lehman Lions
Head coach: Adam Droz
Record: 16-3, Bronx A West
Player to watch: P/1B/RF Tyler Gurman
Outlook: Moments after Madison’s 4-2 victory over No. 5 Norman Thomas, the Knights fielded plenty of questions about top-seeded James Monroe, their likely semifinal opponent. Hours later, when Caiazza was told No. 8 Lehman upset the Eagles, he didn’t exactly do cartwheels.
“I’m very wary of them,” he said. “We’re talking about somebody who just beat the No. 1 seed. They are riding a lot of momentum. We’re not looking at them as an eighth seed. They just took the place of the No. 1 seed.”
That’s not just coach-speak — he should be concerned.
The Lions went 13-3 in Bronx A East, one of the best division in the city, and two of those losses were heartbreaking one-run setbacks to Clinton and Morris. The lineup, led by Gurman and slugging catcher Andy Ramos (team-high 31 RBIs), is deep and potent. Lehman has won eight in a row and is riding high after snapping a three-game losing streak to rival Monroe, a victory Droz called one of the greatest in his seven seasons at the helm.
“That’s over with. We got to treat tomorrow’s game and every other game after that like it’s a championship game,” Droz said. “No matter who we’re playing.”
Unlike Lehman, which is back in the semifinals after a four-year hiatus, Madison has made this somewhat of a habit. The Knights are in the final four for the third straight time — staggering consistency considering the program’s lack of star power.
Eddie Lenahan is the ace of the staff, but he gets by on guile. The lineup is improved. Centerfielder Joe Calascione, third baseman Matt Maher and left fielder John Yuksekol have developed into middle-of-the-order threats and Canarsie transfer Joe Abadia has brought speed to the top of the lineup.
Still, Madison wins because of its pitching – sophomores Joe Cali and Mike Fitzpatrick follow Lenahan in the rotation and Matt Ecock is a shutdown reliever – and defense. For all the winning under Caiazza – six times the Knights have reached this juncture – he is still looking for the school’s first city title.
“Always a bridesmaid,” he said. “Eventually, it’s gotta happen.”
