Stuyvesant took the field for their first playoff game in four years, butterflies in their stomach and Coach Hann’s “44” on their sleeves. In the opposing dugout, the John Adams Spartans were ready.

Sam Levine got the start for the Peglegs, having gone 7-0 in the regular season. But the regular season and the playoffs are two different things. The Spartans came out swinging. Their leadoff hitter lined one back up the middle for a base hit. After a strikeout, they singled on a hard ground ball through the left side. The next batter blooped in to RF. Bases loaded and one out. Backs against the wall early. But this Peglegs team doesn’t fold and a perfect 6-4-3 double play ended the innings.

In the bottom of the first, Jeremy Lee showed his hustle and reached on a dropped third strike, unsettling the Spartans pitcher who then walked the next six Peglegs who ended the inning up 4-0.

The Spartans continued to be aggressive in the second, with a long fly to CF that was chased down on an over the head catch by CF Paul Liou. That was the last time they would threaten.

Back to back doubles by Levine and Peter Carini in the bottom second made the score 5-0. Julian Duran added a long double in the third followed by a hard base hit by Axel Reiss. Levine hit a long shot to LF on what seemed to be a HR but was turned into a ground rule double as the ball got stuck under the fence. Still, the Peglegs went up 9-0.

Stuy added one more in the fourth to go up ten and that was all they needed for their first playoff win in years.

Next up, Cardozo HS on Friday. Let’s go Peglegs!

Game Notes

• Levine threw a five inning shutout, striking out eight while allowing theee hits and two walks.
• Levine led the Peglegs with two doubles
• Reiss, Carini, Julian Malenda and Duran all added hits to what what a balanced Peglegs attack
• This was the first postseason at bat for every Stuy player other than Paul Liou
• The Spartans made four errors.