No longer undefeated, East bounces back nicely

Posted by [email protected] | May 4, 2017 | East/Warner, Sports | 0 |

Coach Kyle Crandall (center) watching as East beat SOTA 6 -1 at Genesee Valley Park, 5/3/17. Assistant coach Brett Crandall to the left.

East Social Studies teacher Rob Snyder. 4/24/17 See Following a historic season, East baseball opens with back-to-back no hitters

When we last covered East baseball, the Eagles were undefeated after having won the East Tournament. In baseball — as in life — all good things come to an end.

On April 24th, East faced Eastridge in a non-conference home game. When I reached the field, I was surprised and dismayed to see the scoreboard read AWAY 9 and HOME 0. Operating the scoreboard in the press box, East Social Studies teacher Rob Snyder explained the situation.

With Michael Perkins (right) in the press box. 4/26/17 [Photo: Jazmine Osbourne]

Eastridge’s pitcher was sharp, pitching a no-hitter. At the same time, East — not used to trailing in a game — seemed to be pressing, chasing bad pitches and making multiple errors. The final score was 20-0 as Eastridge complete the no-hitter. Usually, the scoreboard doesn’t record runs after 10 – 0, but today East’s Coach Kyle Crandall told Rob to register each run in this game to best be forgotten.

But baseball is all about bouncing back. Two days later, East was back on track with a 10 – 0 win over Franklin.

As we watched from the press box, scoreboard operator Michael Perkins, a Youth Advocate at Hillside Family of Agencies, said the East players were really upset about their performance against Eastridge. Motivated to learn from their mistakes, East came out both a little subdued and extra focused. They squeezed each out tighter in their gloves.

Handshakes after the East-Franklin game.

With no press box scoreboard to operate, Michael Perkins watched from the sidelines at GVP. Michael thinks the Eastridge loss motivated the Eagles.

John Segarra had to miss the Franklin game after an injury against Eastridge

John Segarra had to miss the game after an injury against Eastridge. John said the players basically knew they had to win this game otherwise the season could quickly spiral downward. And the Eagles took care of business.

The next day East beat Edison 10 – 0. And then when taking a road trip to NYC, the Eagles beat Flushing on April 29th.

And two days ago, at Genesee Valley Park, East beat SOTA 6 -1. The Eastridge let-down now a memory not to be repeated, the players spirit and swag was on full display. The team looked especially cohesive.

Athletic trainer David DiPasquale thought it was due to the bonding experience of the road trip to NYC. Last year, the team went to Cincinnati; this year they travelled to Flushing, NY and to Yankee Stadium to catch an epic extra inning contest. As David said, the trips are all about bringing the team together as a community and family. Ultimately, wins and losses are not as important as the relationships forged.

SOTA’s # 16 leftfielder Joshua Hallback (above) retrieving a baseball with young fans. Joshua (below) didn’t have such great luck when facing Maldonado in the 6th inning.

At GVP, East was led by the ever boisterous Eric Maldondo, who the bleacher fans loudly call “Macho.” Macho Maldonado started the game at catcher, but came on in relief to record a save as he stymied a SOTA rally in the 6th.

Trainer David DiPasquale helping get Macho’s breath back.

Eric also added some drama when he returned to the dugout hyperventilating after scoring a run. Eric has asthma and didn’t have his ventilator. But trainer DiPasquale helped get Macho’s breath back.

Democrat and Chronicle, 5/4/17

I am an umpire so I always watch the men in blue in action. At the game, the home plate umpire took two vicious shots to his arm and chest.

(left) Umpire (not seen) aided by coaches. (right) me umpiring a 10 U game at Buckland Park in Brighton See Umpire added to Game at the Corners. Players subtracted

Each time the umpire got back up, ready to argue with Coach Crandall whether or a ground ball crossed the third base fair or foul.

One of East’s loyal fans, Ariane. At GVP, she was not wearing her usual blanket. See Bundled up loyalists at Cobb’s Hill watch East stay undefeated.

PREVIOUS 2017 GAMES

Eagles (8-0) win East Tournament; pizza for all

East beats Lyons to stay unbeaten; Crandall retrieves balls and sweeps home plate

Bundled up loyalists at Cobb’s Hill watch East stay undefeated.

Joel Alicea throws second straight no-hitter; three generations celebrate at East

Excitement grows on Culver Road as East wins third straight. Bishop Kearney is next.

Following a historic season, East baseball opens with back-to-back no hitters.

About The Author

[email protected]

Welcome to Talker of the Town! My name is David Kramer. I have a Ph.D in English and teach at Keuka College. I am a former and still active Fellow at the Nazareth College Center for Public History and a Storyteller in Residence at the SmallMatters Institute. Over the years, I have taught at Monroe Community College, the Rochester Institute of Technology and St. John Fisher College. I have published numerous Guest Essays, Letters, Book Reviews and Opinion pieces in The New York Times, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, the Buffalo News, the Rochester Patriot, the Providence Journal, the Providence Business News, the Brown Alumni Magazine, the New London Day, the Boston Herald, the Messenger Post Newspapers, the Wedge, the Empty Closet, the CITY, Lake Affect Magazine and Brighton Connections. My poetry appears in The Criterion: An International Journal in English and Rundenalia and my academic writing in War, Literature and the Arts and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Starting in February 2013, I wrote for three Democratic and Chronicle blogs, "Make City Schools Better," "Unite Rochester," and the "Editorial Board." When my tenure at the D & C ended, I wanted to continue conversations first begun there. And start new ones. So we created this new space, Talker of the Town, where all are invited to join. I don’t like to say these posts are “mine.” Very few of them are the sole product of my sometimes overheated imagination. Instead, I call them partnerships and collaborations. Or as they say in education, “peer group work.” Talker of the Town might better be Talkers of the Town. The blog won’t thrive without your leads, text, pictures, ideas, facebook shares, tweets, comments and criticisms.