From Coach Nardiello: Starter Jake Rapoport was dealing early, and along with reliever Silas Hubbell, seemed to “deserve” more than what Fate had in store. Misplays and walks put guys on, and Midwood did not miss their opportunities to turn our mistakes into runs. An early 2-0 lead seemed larger, as Midwood’s starter was working quickly and getting all the outs he needed. Tech battled back and tied the game on a two-out error by their centerfielder.
Our team wanted this home game to be emblematic of their comeback this season. After a hard-fought game, and late-inning loss to Tottenville before the Break, the boys were ready to start the 2nd half by reaching the .500 mark (and hopefully going from there). Tech had entered into the Mascali tournament during the Easter/Passover break and went to the Finals on the strengths of pitching, defense and timely hitting.
But we wound up with a 3W-5L record. The Engineers lost their edge with poor base-running and fielding that was less than crisp, and ultimately, lost any chances to win. Grounders to our infielders at Parade Grounds field 1 should be easier to field for our players. And Midwood’s infielders handled anything we hit to them. We feel we are “better than this,” and just have to keep the focus on each inning and each play.
The team was down, because it had come back to tie the game–before simply falling apart. We handed them 10 more runs across the 6th and 7th innings and only was able to score one on our side. The loss left a bad taste, and could be the low-point of the season — we hope!
After two home losses in games with a tie-score after five full innings, the team is hoping to pour on more offense and score earlier in games, to tighten up their infield play, and to stay around the strike zone. Simple walks can lead to rallies, pressured defense, and unearned runs, as we learned against Midwood.
We think we’ve had enough of this.
Jake Rapoport on the bump in home game against Midwood. [All photos by Vera Nieuwenhuis]
Freshman Andres Carson suits up at catcher for Midwood contest
Center-fielder Aayan Ramamurthy stands in against Midwood.
Jake Rapoport helps his own cause by reaching base three times vs. Midwood
First-baseman Trevor Nieuwenhuis during 2 for 4 performance against Midwood
Jadon Renert takes a pitch vs. Midwood. He will go 2 for 4, with an RBI
Orion Ruck takes off for first against Midwood.
Bedeviled by poor fielding behind him, Jake Rapoport hangs tough through four against Midwood
Nico Harvey slaps the tag at second during Midwood game
As usual, Shrey Vertes drives ball the other way during 2 for 3 performance against Midwood
Pinch runner Finn Adomanis is safe at second vs. Midwood
Nico Harvey awaits the call at second vs. Midwood
Nick Conti gets ready to stand in against Midwood
Silas Hubbell on in relief against Midwood
Trevor Nieuwenhuis stretches for the ball at first vs. Midwood
Aayan Ramamurthy flashes his customary stellar defense in center against Midwood
Coach Joe ponders the options–and the mysterious twists of baseball–during disappointing contest at home against Midwood
Shrey Vertes in action on the basepaths against Midwood
Looks of concern in the dugout during tough game vs. Midwood
From Coach Nardiello: Woulda coulda shoulda! Tech loses opportunity to upset Tottenville at Parade Grounds 2 behind Silas Hubbell’s gutty pitching performance. To a man, our Engineers felt a good kind of frustration after the game. They played well-enough to beat most teams but walked off on the losing end of a 5-3 score. Tottenville will pressure a defense if you put them on base, and give them extra outs or runs. Our Engineers did give away two runs early, and then made several more mistakes in the field that led to prolonged innings behind our starting pitcher.
Silas got the surprise call after a scheduled starter was late to the 4pm game-time, owing to an AP exam that went long, the type of challenge our Brooklyn Tech ballplayers routinely face. Dealing with the weather (periodic rainouts and sodden fields) and permits (our game was moved up a day and to PG1) can be daunting enough. But our players face other hurdles as well, since academics always come first at Tech (unlike many programs, whose players were on the field as early as 1pm). But today, Silas was up to the challenge–damn the torpedoes!–navigating the Tottenville lineup and overcast chill and rain-drops, and a bunch of miscues by his defense. He never showed emotion and never gave up demonstrating outstanding awareness and control (4.2 IP, 6H, 3R/2ER, BB, 3K).
Coach Joe spent the first few innings reacting to what Silas was battling through. Our Engineers let an easy pop-up fall in the infield, threw a ball into LF, didn’t throw a runner out on a dropped third strike, and moved out of position on a few grounders (turning outs into hits). These lapses amounted to the three runs that the Pirates scored early. With some teams, you can get over and past minor miscues, but against the very good teams? They’ll capitalize and turn them into game-changing opportunities.
Throughout each inning, we felt “we were better than this,” and just did not give up or give in. And slowly, things got better. On offense, the Engineers pressured the Tottenville ace each inning, with Trevor Nieuwenhuis (2R, 3B, BB, SB) and Jake Rapoport (2-2, BB, 2 RBI, 2B) threatening each time they stepped to the plate. Our team battled back, and tied the game 3-3 in the bottom the 5th inning, as the light rain stopped. We did make two base-running miscues which may have cost our team a few runs, but to a man the Engineers believed they’d have the momentum to win.
In the final 2 innings, Tottenville was able to take a few bases-on-balls (first two batters of the 6th inning) and turn them into one-run rallies. They tacked on one run in the 6th and another in the 7th inning. Our Engineers again fought back, but hit into a no-out double-play with two runners on-base; and later, with two outs, too aggressively tried to score a run on a wild pitch (on Field 2, where the backstop is only 15 feet away from the plate).
But the energy was there. The will was there. The intensity was present, up and down the batting order. The full team was into this, and wanted it. It felt almost like a playoff game. And then, just like that, it ended. Tough loss. Good game, but they felt they should have played better.
Tip your cap to Tottenville, because they know how to win. We’re still making things a little too tough for the smooth completion of innings, and getting three outs as soon as possible.
At the midway point of this 2025 season, there are many positives to take away.
But today? They believed they had them – and could have tilted this. Chances to beat one of NYC’s perennial top teams escaped, and the Engineers fell shy of playing the kind of game we needed to close it out. To be better, we have to improve from start to finish.
Lessons still learned.
Cooper Chung gets ready to call the game against Tottenville at the Parade Grounds. (All photos by Vera Nieuwenhuis)
Silas Hubbell takes the mound against Tottenville
Julian Ashley with the diving effort against Tottenville
Jake Rapoport holds a Tottenville runner close
Aayan Ramamurthy at bat against Tottenville
Aayan Ramamurthy demonstrates typical effort on the basepaths against Tottenville
Trevor Nieuwenhuis is safe at second against Tottenville
Jake Rapoport sprints to first during standout performance against Tottenville
Jake Rapoport catches the popout in the second inning vs. Tottenville
Julian Ashley gets the forceout at second, as Nico Harvey looks on, during Tottenville contest
Andres Carson at the plate during Tottenville game
Jadon Renert slides safely into second during action against Tottenville
Engineers celebrate after 1-2-3 inning
Orion Ruck stands in against Tottenville
Nico Harvey in action against Tottenville
Scott Manter-Goldberg safe at first during Tottenville action
Jadon Renert on in relief during close Tottenville contest
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