Four RBI Day For Axel Riess Brings In Win For Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity Over Newtown HS

Axel Riess was an RBI machine on Wednesday, driving in four on three hits to lead Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity past Newtown HS 11-1 on Wednesday. Riess drove in runs on a double in the first and a single in the third.
Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity secured the victory thanks to six runs in the third inning. Julian Malenda, Mantas Kempinas, Andrew Choi, and Riess all drove in runs in the frame.

Iravan Bhattacharyya was the winning pitcher for Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity. The righty allowed three hits and one run over four and two-thirds innings, striking out ten. Victor Kamrowski threw one-third of an inning in relief out of the bullpen.

Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity scattered 12 hits in the game. Riess, Bhattacharyya, Julian Duran, and Malenda each managed multiple hits for Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity. Riess went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity in hits. Stuyvesant Peglegs Varsity didn’t commit a single error in the field. Adam Lucey had 12 chances in the field, the most on the team.

A little chilly this morning but a nice win against Staten Island Tech. Final 8-3. Strong pitching by Iravan Bhattacharyya, Tcha Isaac Ovsky, and Mantas Kempinas.
Big hits by Peter Carini( double) and Iravan Bhattacharyya ( in the park HR). Great defense by Julian Malenda at third.
Our next scrimmage is Monday vs Hunter HS at Randall’s Island at 4pm.

It was a cold day at the pier. Hunter and Stuyvesant threw their top 3 pitchers against each other. As predicted all pitchers were dominant. There were no hits on both sides and the game ended in a 0-0 tie after 5 innings.

Stuy’s Cinderella story of a season came to an end Saturday afternoon in a 14-0 loss to the James Monroe Eagles. The Peglegs finish the season having gone to the NYC Final Four for the first time.

Stuy’s engine just ran out of gas today. Their usually dominant pitching and consistent hitting couldn’t get the job done, allowing 13 hits and only managing three of their own.

Though they suffered two tough losses to a Monroe team that will advance to the finals, the 2022 Peglegs will be remembered for its magical season. They collected a school record 16 wins and advanced further than any baseball team in school history. After the last out, the large crowd of fans, family and alumni cheered loudly in recognition of what the team accomplished.

As the seniors walked off the field for the last time, they did so knowing they were part of something special this season. Coach Carlesi, finishing his 20th season, should be very proud of the team he built and the community he created around Stuy baseball.

Looking forward to next year, the team will return six rising-senior starters plus star sophomore Axel Riess and late season additions Victor Kamrowski (freshman) and Montas Kempinas (sophomore) both of whom looked great in during the late season run. They also hope to get pitcher Ethan Lin back in time for next season. Lots to look forward to.

Season Notes

• Losing pitcher Sam Levine couldn’t keep the magic going today, lasting just 1+ inning, but finished the season with nine wins, which led all of NYC and set a school record. Levine led the division in wins, rbi and hits, and was second in strikeouts and ERA.
• Paul Liou finished the regular season allowing just two runs in 18 innings, while striking out 28 and looking unhittable.
• Riess led all sophomores in the division in RBI and slugging, and was second in hits
• Jeremy Lee led the division in runs scored and was top 20 in on base pct, hits and batting
• Ethan Kirschner finished top 20 in the division in runs, hits and batting avg
• Adam Lucey was top 20 in the division in hits, batting and slugging
• Julian Duran was top 20 in the division in hits and runs
• Iravan Bhattacharyya returned from injury in time for the playoffs and allowed no earned runs in three appearances
• Ben Harwayne led the team in fielding pct as he played an incredible first base
• Julian Malenda’s bat heated up the second half of the season with some clutch hits
• Peter Carini had a .514 regular season on base percentage and a .307 average

Stuyvesant’s ten game winning streak came to an end Friday afternoon, going down 8-5 in to James Monroe Campus HS in the first game of their semifinal matchup.

The game was tight through the first five innings. Peglegs’ starting pitcher Paul Liou had two outs in the second before an injury forced him into the dugout. Reliever Iravan Bhattacharyya looked strong out of the pen again, all but shutting down Monroe through five. But Monroe’s aggressive base running (seven stolen bases) kept the pressure on and forced Stuy into a few errors that led to runs.

In the top of the sixth, Stuy looked like they had opened up the lead behind hits by Peter Carini, Ethan Kirschner, two gorgeous bunts by Julian Duran and freshman Victor Kamrowski and a double by Bhattacharyya. Stuy ended the inning with what they thought was a commanding 5-2 lead.

But things can change quickly in baseball. In the bottom of the sixth, Monroe came out with two base hits. Bhattacharrya got the next two outs leaving Stuy just four outs away from a win. But with victory in sight, for the first time in the playoffs, the Peglegs got sloppy and gave Monroe got a few extra chances. That was the opening Monroe would need. They took advantage and capitalized on Stuy mistakes, with five hits in the inning, including a two run home run that put the game out of reach.

The two teams meet again Saturday at Pier 40 for game two of a best-of-three series.

Game Notes

• Kirschner made a stellar run saving catch in the bottom of the fourth in deep left field
• Liou is listed as doubtful for game two
• Sam Levine gets the start for game two

The Peglegs traveled to Brooklyn this afternoon to take on the top seeded and heavily favored Grand Street Wolves in a quarterfinal matchup. The Wolves came into the game with a record of 18-0 and having outscored their playoff opponents 31-1 in the first two rounds. Their hitters put up nearly 10 runs a game this season and were supremely confident. But like Mike Tyson once said, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

Sam Levine took the mound for Stuyvesant having thrown a shutout in the first round of the playoffs. After Stuy went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first, it was Grand Street’s turn. Their leadoff hitter, Myles Vasquez – who led AAA in home runs and was third in hitting at .568 – flew out to Paul Liou in center field. This was followed by an error, ground out and strike out. The heart of the Wolves lineup had their first shot and put up a zero on the scoreboard. Not what they were expecting.

The Peglegs struck first in the second playing small ball. Following a hit batter and an error, a perfect bunt by Julian Malenda advanced the runners to second and third. Julian Duran took advantage and drove in the first run of the game on a single to center. 1-0 Peglegs.

The Wolves would come right back in the bottom of the second, scoring two runs on a walk, bunt single and line drive base hit to take a 2-1 lead. Back and forth they’d go as Stuy would added a run of their own in the top of the third on a double steal by Levine and Jeremy Lee, who stole home and scored on the play. 2-2. The Wolves came right back the next inning, plating two on a hit batter, walk and single to go up 4-2.

The Peglegs would retake the lead in the top of the fourth. Malenda led off with a double to center, followed by Duran getting hit by a pitch. Iravan Bhattacharyya singled to left to load the bases. Lee drove in the go ahead run on another hit by pitch. Axel Riess followed with an rbi ground out to first and Bhattachryya scored on a wild pitch. Peglegs 5, Wolves 4. It was becoming clear to everyone that Stuy wasn’t going away.

Levine quieted the Wolves’ bats in the fourth, with a 1-2-3 inning and you could feel Grand Street start to get tight. In the bottom of the fifth, the Wolves started the inning on a single and then reached on an error on a potential double play ball to first. Bhattacharyya came in to relieve Levine and struck out two before loading the bases on a walk. He built the tension, going to a 3-1 count before inducing a pop out to short.

Stuy took their 5-4 lead into the seventh inning. They put two runners on base with one out for Ethan Kirschner who lined a clutch base hit to right to give the Peglegs an insurance run to make it 6-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Three outs to go with the heart of Grand Street’s lineup due up. Vasquez doubled to left to start the inning. Bhattacharyya struck out the next batter, but Riess couldn’t hold onto the ball and the batter sprinted to first. Riess’s throw was too late but first baseman Ben Harwayne saw Vasquez making a big turn around third, rocketed the ball across the diamond and Malenda made the tag to get Vasquez for the first out of the inning. Two outs to go. The next batter singled to left. Two on and one out and Grand Street was threatening. Alex Martinez grounded out to short. One out to go and the Wolves shortstop came to the plate having already driven in two runs. But the bat was taken out of his hands. On the first pitch the runner on first took off on a steal and Riess gunned him down – game over. Stuyvesant wins and advances to the final four in what was a total team effort.

Game Notes

• This is the furthest Stuy has ever advanced in the playoffs.
• No specialized high school has ever made it to the final four.
• Levine got the win, his ninth of the season, going four innings, allowing three hits, striking ut four and giving up four runs.
• Bhattacharyya got the save, striking out five in three innings, allowing no runs in his best performance of the year.

All seemed lost for the Peglegs tonight. At the end of six innings, they were in a 3-0 hole and had a total of zero hits. Could this be how their season ended?  Not with a bang but a whimper?

The rain started to fall as the seventh inning began. A fly out to right was the first out. Down to their last two outs, Jeremy Lee came to the plate. Determined that this wouldn’t be his last ever PSAL at bat, Lee laced a single into left field to give Stuyvesant a pulse. Axel Riess came up next, 0-3 on the day so far. The sophomore took a 2-0 pitch and launched it to deep center field as the rain poured down. Lee scored, putting the Peglegs on the board. 3-1. Sam Levine stepped into the batter’s box and ripped a line drive into left field scoring Riess. Peter Carini reached on an error. With two on, it was Ethan Kirschner‘s turn. Down 3-2, Kirschner singled to left to tie the game! The momentum had shifted completely and the floodgates opened: Julian Duran doubled in two runs. Lee singled for his second hit of the inning. By the time the inning ended, the Peglegs held an 8-3 lead, and that would be the final score.

Paul Liou started the game for the Peglegs. He struggled with his control early, allowing three runs in the first. But he would settle in and hold Cardozo scoreless into the fourth inning, keeping Stuy in the game. Iravan Bhattacharyya entered the game in the fourth, with two outs and the bases loaded and coolly retired the batter on a weak ground ball to second. Bhattacharyya would pitch the final three innings, striking out five and allowing just one hit.

Game Notes

• This was Stuy’s first second-round playoff win in 22 years.
• Next up is #1 seed, Grand Street.