By Five Boro Sports
Francis Lewis baseball Coach Ian Millman says he tries to tell ace Jonathan Bobea that when he starts, anything he gives the Patriots at plate is a bonus. It’s something he does to relax the talented junior, who sometimes thinks he needs to win the game by himself.
None of that was a problem against Cardozo.
Bobea did more than his fair share of the work. He threw a two−hit shutout, striking out 13, walking three and was two−for−three at the plate with three RBIs as Francis Lewis beat host Cardozo 5−0 in PSAL Queens A East baseball May 12 The victory clinches the second straight division title for the Patriots.
“We are pretty confident every time he takes the mound,” junior Jeremy Rodriguez said. “In our heads we think we can win every game when he goes out there.”
Rodriguez helped produce Francis Lewis’ first run when he followed David Torres’ single with one of his own to start the fourth. Chris Rivera bunted them to second and third. Then with two outs, Bobea sent a two−run single just in front of the centerfielder to make it 2−0. The Patriots (12−4) got a break on the relay when a tough throw home was dropped by Cardozo (8−5) catcher Derek Errigo, allowing the second run to score easily.
“That was a lucky hit,” Bobea admitted.
The Judges, however, threatened to score in the second and third innings. Bobea, who said he just focuses on the batter with men on, struck out the inning’s final two hitters with a runner on second and one out. In the third, Matthew Lynn lined out hard to right field with runners on first and second and two outs. A ball in the gap scored a run and might have given Cardozo a boost, Coach Ron Gorecki said.
“My guys were just not touching this sensational kid who is out here,” Gorecki said. “He is a sensational player in my eyes.”
Francis Lewis added two insurance runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. The sixth appeared over with no damage for Cardozo starter George Theodoropoulos, who fanned 10, when he struck out Jesse Pau, but the ball got away and was lost in the grass behind the plate, allowing Torres to score from third. Bobea added a run on an infield hit to make it 4−0.
That was more than enough cushion for him.
“The best thing that makes Bobea tough is he doesn’t get rattled,” said Millman, who praised his coaching staff. “More than any pitch he may possess, he is going to stay calm in any situation and continue to make his pitches. You are going to have to beat Bobea, Bobea will not beat himself. It doesn’t hurt that he has a halfway decent fastball, though.”
He used that to blow away hitters when he needed strikeouts and help pitch the Patriots to another division crown.
“It gives us respect,” Rodriguez said. “Because coming to the season, nobody looks at Francis Lewis as a treat.”
