Falcon's Nest Notes: Walk-Off! Victory for Boys Varsity Softball

The Varsity Boys Softball Team gets ready to play Brooklyn rival YDE

Amid a very busy week for the Boys Varsity Softball Team, the Boys celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut in style, collecting their first victory of the season with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to defeat YDE at the Mill Basin Fields in Brooklyn.

Just one day earlier, the two teams met at the same field with the Falcons finding themselves completely over-matched. The YDE Thunder varsity dominated every aspect of the game as they cruised to a 7-0 shutout of the “visiting” Flatbush boys. What a difference a day makes. The defense showed up. The outfielders were very solid in their play, with Victor Dweck expertly patrolling centerfield. As a result, Eyal Goldberg pitched with more confidence, comfortable in the knowledge that his fielders would make all the necessary plays. On this day, the defense held the Thunder to just two runs.

Eyal Goldberg delivers the pitch as 2nd baseman Jordan Hill is set to field the ball

But as good as the defense was, the offense was still anemic. The most the Falcons could muster was one measly hit, by Matan Guez in the bottom of the first inning. Guez’s single sent the player on base to third for the only threat the Falcons offense would produce all game. That is, until their final turn at bat.

Trailing 2-0, and with no reason to believe they could get any closer (in the previous 13 innings the Falcons generated a grand total of zero runs), the Flatbush Varsity Boys had one last chance to make something happen. And, make something happen they did! Second at bat was Guez, who had the only Flatbush hit to that point. Guez promptly stroked a triple, and with that one at bat, you could feel the atmosphere begin to change. The Falcons were threatening! Up next was Victor Dweck. But with Guez in easy scoring position, he also hit an easy pop fly back to the pitcher. The Falcons were down to their final out. With two away, the next batter was Sam Zalta. Zalta proceeded to smack a single between first and second, plating Guez for the Falcons’ first run in two games and cutting the YDE lead to one.

Michael Beyda gets ready to unleash a mighty swing

That brought to the plate Sammy Dayan. In his two earlier at bats, Dayan struck out looking and grounded out to shortstop. There was no reason to believe this time would be any different. And when the pitcher got two strikes on him, many believed that the game was over. Dayan had other plans. When the next pitch came in, Dayan gave a mighty swing. He connected, the ball sailed way over the centerfielder’s head, and rolled and rolled and rolled! Zalta was off and running on the hit and easily crossed the plate with the tying run. Dayan, too, was steaming around the bases. The YDE outfielders tracked the ball down and relayed it back in. All the while, Dayan kept motoring. Coach Fleischman, at third base, saw the Thunder working the relay and made the decision. Waving his arms in a wheeling motion, he sent Dayan hurtling towards the plate. In came the throw; home came Dayan . . . both nearing the plate almost simultaneously. With the catcher at the plate, the ball and Dayan were on a collision course. And, the ball slipped through the catcher’s legs. Dayan touched the plate – SAFE! The Falcons defeated the YDE Thunder to register their first win of the season in most dramatic fashion!

Albert Terzi and Coach Fleischman are al smiles after the walk-off victory over YDE

Nest Notes:

The Varsity Boys Softballers were back in action the next evening, and dropped a heartbreaker to Shaare Torah. Leading 3-2 heading into the bottom of the 7th inning, the Falcons got the first two outs and looked to be headed to a second straight victory. With one runner on, the game looked to be over when the Shaare hitter checked and struck the ball. By rule, he should have been deemed out as you cannot bunt in the MYHSAL (and a check is the same as a bunt). But the call was not made and the batter was safe at first. The next batter hit a long double, plating both runners to end the game with Shaare Torah on the winning end of a 4-3 score.

After one day off, the Varsity Boys will be back in action on Friday for a doubleheader against Magen David at the asphalt field on Avenue P and 13th Street. The first game is scheduled for a 3:00 pm start.