Finally, the clock struck midnight.
The No. 14-ranked High School of Telecommunication Arts & Technology baseball team fell 3–2 in eight innings to James Monroe in the Public Schools Athletic League semifinals on June 3.
The Yellowjackets managed a late rally to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Cinderella squad couldn’t muster one more upset. The team was disappointed with the finish, but still proud of an unexpected postseason run it hopes to build on in the future.
“We never knew this was going to happen at the beginning of the year,” said senior left fielder Justin Garcia. “The weather was bad, we weren’t that good, but as it progressed and the year went on, we got better and better. There was more competition and no one knew we were going to get this far. It was a great season for us.”
Telecom got on the board early, taking a one-run lead in the bottom of the second inning, but Monroe tied the game in the fourth — on Miguelange Toribio’s run-scoring triple — and took a 2–1 lead in the fifth. But that was all the Eagles could do, however, against Telecom starter Frank Campanelli. The senior lefthander kept the Yellowjackets in the game, striking out nine batters in seven and one-third innings.
“Frank has been a masterful pitcher for four years in this program,” said Telecom coach Robert Calise. “He came through big in the playoffs as well and this game I knew he was going to be the one who got the ball. He definitely showed it on the mound today.”
In the bottom of the seventh, Telecom took advantage of two Monroe errors to put Alexander Cruzado on third with just one out Julian Juame drove Cruzado home with a single to left to tie the game, but the Yellowjackets left two runners stranded when Toribio made a diving catch in left field for the final out, forcing extra innings.
“That’s what playoff baseball is all about,” Calise said. “That’s what makes the difference between winning and losing when it comes to this level. It was a great catch, great play. It looked like it was going to go our way, but it bounced the other way.”
Two Telecom errors and a walk forced Campanelli from the mound, and Monroe seized the opportunity. Eagles senior Jason Pineda cracked a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring the go-ahead run and dashing the Yellowjackets’ hopes.
“We were here and fought hard, and the outcome wasn’t quite what we wanted,” Garcia said.
Telecom had a final chance — Aarron Rodriguez connected on a one-out single — but Pineda then struck out the side and the Yellowjackets could only watch their season come to an end. Even so, said the coach, just getting to the semifinals was a victory, one that signals better days to come.
“I’m happy with the way these kids performed. Every day they worked hard,” Calise said. “And we’re going to take it to the max next year as well. Every year we’ll always be in the hunt.”
