It was a beautiful Father’s Day morning as the junior varsity softball MTA Lions took to the field against the DRS Wildcats of the Five Towns for the 2016 Yeshiva League Championship. Tension filled the air as these two powerhouse teams got set to face off. On the MTA side of the field, family, fellow students and faculty enjoyed a school-provided BBQ.
The game began. With one out in the top of the first, Ellie Roz of the Wildcats launched an 0-1 pitch over the left field fence, giving the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, the Lions clawed their way back when sophomore Chaim Weinstein drilled a line drive into centerfield, scoring freshman Yaron Kahan.
DRS again took a one-run lead in the 3rd, but the aware defense of the Lions kept DRS to just one run. As the second DRS runner attempted to sneak home from third, MTA freshman pitcher Eitan Pfeiffer quickly threw home to co-captain catcher Zeve Kornwasser who was in perfect position to apply the tag. In the bottom of the 4th, the Lions again clawed back. Freshman third baseman Akiva Richman hit a line drive that was snagged by the shortstop, but in his attempt to double Kahan at second, the ball got away into centerfield and Yaron charged all the way home to tie the game at 2-2.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Wildcats took their third one-run lead of the game. And for the third time, the Lions caught up, this time for good. With runners on first and second and two outs in the bottom of the 6th, Kahan lined a pitch just over the third base bag for a huge two-run double that gave MTA their first lead of the day. For good measure, freshman slugger Daniel Landa then singled in Kahan giving the Lions the insurance run.
When the Lions took the field they needed three outs to earn the championship. After a quick two outs, DRS put runners on first and second. But fortunately for the Lions, those runners never reached the plate as the final out was a deep fly to centerfield caught by Kahan. The team and the fans charged the field, celebrating the victory.
“This incredible game capped off an amazing season for us, and an even more fantastic school year,” noted MTA freshman shortstop Eitan Warburg of Teaneck, New Jersey. Sophomore Zack Gurwitz of West Hempstead, New York agreed, noting, “what set us apart, was the way we played together as a team.”
By Akiva Richman
