By Marc Raimondi
Greg Boyle would have been a candidate to pitch in last year’s playoffs with Archbishop Molloy facing elimination. There was just one problem: He was on the bench recovering from knee surgery that left him on crutches for two months.
“Last year was a bummer,” Boyle said. “I wanted to pitch that game, but I wasn’t cleared yet.”
The junior battled back from painful bone spurs and put together the start of his career yesterday afternoon against the city title favorite.
Dancing out of jam after jam, Boyle gave up just two runs — both in the first inning — and scattered seven hits to lead No. 7 Molloy to a stunning, 4-2 win over defending champion and top-seeded Xaverian in a CHSAA Class AA baseball championship round elimination game at St. John’s University.
“I’m so proud of him,” Molloy first baseman Mike O’Dwyer said of Boyle. “He fought so hard coming back from an injury. He’s a special kid. He’s got that toughness.”
This group has found itself in the playoffs with Evansville-bound Jonathan Ramon returning from a pinched nerve in his back and the guts of catcher Mike Rogers to come back from needed 45 stitches in his face May 28 after a collision at home plate to play May 29. He’s been in the lineup ever since as the designated hitter.
“Rogers coming back — that was insane,” O’Dwyer said. “I texted him that night asking if he was going to come and watch us. He said, ‘I’m playing, don’t worry.’”
Rogers walked and scored on O’Dwyer’s two-run single that gave Molloy a 3-2 lead in the third against Xaverian starter Tommy Anselmo. Ramon drove in a run on a bases-loaded walk in the third and got his second RBI in the fourth on a sacrifice fly. He has been a spark in the postseason, the highlight was a 400-foot home run to center field last Thursday night against Moore Catholic.
“Psychologically [it has helped] the team,” legendary Coach Jack Curran said of Ramon’s return. “They look up to him.”
Boyle was just as important Friday. The crafty right-hander put runners on in every inning, but got out of trouble with three double plays, including one by George Washington-bound star Eric Kalman to end the game.
“He wants to annoy me,” Curran joked.
The 54th-year coach, the winningest in league history, has been all smiles the last few days. After gutting out a three-game series win over Holy Cross May 29, Molloy took a 5-2 lead against St. Raymond May 30 before coughing it up. After that, though, the Stanners have won two straight.
They have come a long way since a three-game losing streak in late April against Monsignor McClancy, Xaverian and Holy Cross. After a walk-off loss to Cross April 27, the players held a team meeting.
“We couldn’t believe we lost three in a row,” O’Dwyer said. “We knew we were better than that.”
It’s been a different hero every game in the playoffs and Friday it was Boyle. For him, it’s been a 12-month wait.
“I’m used to pitching with runners on base,” Boyle said. “I’m comfortable with it. I was ready for this today.”
