By David Russell
Archbishop Molloy starter Jonathan Meditz was going to get the chance to finish what he started – even with the game in jeopardy.
Holy Cross, down by four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, had loaded the bases with nobody out. But Molloy coach Brad Lyons still had no intention of removing Meditz.
“We said if the tying run had gotten on base, we’d think about it,” Lyons said. “But the way they got the bases loaded was one good single, a ground ball that was an error, and then a blooper. So it wasn’t like they were making really good contact. I think at that point it was his game to win or lose.”
Meditz rewarded his coach’s confidence. His 109-pitch complete-game gem lifted Archbishop Molloy to a 6-2 win over host Holy Cross at College Point Fields in CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens baseball on Wednesday afternoon. The victory is Molloy’s eighth straight, keeping it in a first-place tie with Xaverian in the standings.
Meditz, who only fanned one batter over the first six innings, had to deal with Knights cleanup hitter Frankie Tribble in order to wiggle out of the jam. He struck out Tribble, Tyler Reynolds popped up to first and Jonathan Arroyo struck out to end the game.
“I’m thinking, ‘I got to buckle down’,” Meditz said. “’My teammates are trying so hard. They’re trying to make the plays as much as they can and I got to try to get a strikeout here if I can.”
With Holy Cross leading 1-0, ninth-hitter Matthew Lees led off the Molloy third with an infield single. The Stanners (10-2) used a bunt, a hit batter, two walks, two singles and a pair of errors to score four runs. Lees also led the fourth off with a single and came around to score. The production came as no surprise to Lyons.
“Matt Lees has been great for us all year,” he said. “With our team we have pretty good speed, we like to keep the pressure on the defense. Bunt the ball, go steal bases, make them make plays, keep the pressure on the defense.”
Meditz set Holy Cross (5-7) down in order in the third after taking the lead.
“It was really big because you want to back up your team when they’re scoring runs for you,” Meditz said.
The losing pitcher was Jonathan Rosero, who failed to make it out if the fifth. Thomas Manetta and Vincent Moss both singled and scored for the Stanners. Meditz, on the other hand, retired 10 of 11 batters during one stretch.
“I was feeling pretty confident,” Meditz said. “I was able to set down guys. Also, I have to give it to some of my teammates in the field. They were making every single play.”
