By Dylan Butler
The Flushing baseball team still remembers the feeling of playing at Shea Stadium in the PSAL ‘B’ championship game last year. And with just three players gone from that team, which went 14-4 and lost 8-2 to Chelsea in the final, the Red Devils have a good chance to return to that big stadium a few blocks from its school.
Flushing is without its ace from last year, as Kevin Jenkins, who was 4-2 last year with one save and a 2.07 ERA, striking out 31 in 27 innings, graduated. But back is senior shortstop Jose Diaz, a fourth-year player who will also see time as the team’s closer after going 2-2 with two saves and a 2.23 ERA, Lukas Brito, a senior pitcher/first baseman who batted .350 last season, and senior Caba Edward, who will play first, third and pitch and batted .333 last year.
One of Flushing’s top competitors this year can be found in its own division, as Forest Hills should also vie for the Queens North B crown.
The Rangers finished 15-1 last year, one season after winning the PSAL ‘B’ title, losing to Gompers in the second round of the playoffs.
Only junior catcher Brett Cassidy, who batted .447 last season, is playing the same position as last year.
Sophomore Frank Russo will likely be the ace of the Rangers’ pitching staff and will also play center field, and senior shortstop John Scherer, who batted .486 last year with three home runs and 22 RBIs, is the Rangers top offensive threat.
After taking its lumps in the A division the last few years, Bryant moves down to the B this season.
The senior-laden squad is led by Hedinson Baez, who should be the ace of the staff and will play outfield when not on the mound, Cesar Vargas, a transfer from LaSalle Academy, will be the starting catcher.
Queens Vocational coach Rob Schimenz originally thought this would be a rebuilding year, but the Tigers seniors have convinced him otherwise.
“We’re playing a lot of non-conference games to get ready for our tough division,” Schimenz said. “I don't see why we can’t be one of the top three teams in the division.”
Leading the group of eight seniors is Elvin Tejada, a four-year player who will start at shortstop and pitch. After leading the PSAL ‘B’ division with 16 walks last year, Tejada will likely bat leadoff for the Tigers.
Senior Usman Hanif will bat third after hitting .400 last season and will play all nine positions on the field before the end of the season.
Rounding out the division is Renaissance, who went 0-14 last year, and first-year team Robert F. Wagner.
Queens Central B
After going all the way to the PSAL ‘B’ semifinal game, only to lose to Chelsea, Transit Tech returns much of the talent from last year’s team that went 15-2 and is the clear cut favorite in Queens Central B.
Jamaica returns five starters from last year’s team that went 9-5 and lost to Chelsea in the first round of the playoffs, and have nine freshmen — including Juan Alicia — who will start behind the plate.
Top returning players include senior shortstop/pitcher Miguel Ortiz, who is the team’s top pitcher and top hitter, and junior Andre Cummings, who was 3-0 with a 3.65 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 21.1 innings last year.
Robert F. Kennedy, like Jamaica, is in a new division after going 6-8 last season. Head coach Dave Cohen gets veteran leadership from tri-captains Chris Purcell, an outfielder/pitcher, first baseman Jonathan Bean and pitcher/third baseman Ryan Wilichinsky.
Townsend Harris returns sophomore Joseph Kresse (.335 batting average last year) and Erkhad Murad, who batted .464 and was 4-0 with a 5.25 ERA, from a team that finished 8-6 and missed the playoffs by one game.
After a 2-13 season in the A division last year, Franklin K. Lane is hoping a change of scenery will lead to a better season, while Arts and Business (2-12) will miss being in the same division as Renaissance, the only team it defeated last year.
Queens South B
If August Martin makes a fourth straight trip to the playoffs, it will likely depend on its ace Brandon Plair to carry them again.
The junior hurler, who has three different curveballs, went 7-1 last year with a 1.79 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 43.1 innings as the Falcons went 12-3 last year, losing to Grady in the first round of the playoffs.
Hillcrest makes the move to the ‘B’ division after an 0-15 season last year.
Returning for the Hawks is its ace, junior Danny Garcia, who had a respectable 3.86 ERA and had 26 strikeouts in 27.2 innings.
Campus Magnet will likely struggle after losing three of their four pitchers — who also made up the starting left side of the infield — to academic ineligibility.
Junior Terrance Coleman, who was 3-1 last year with a 2.43 ERA and who batted .400 will be Magnet’s ace this season.
Springfield Gardens is looking to improve on last year’s impressive record, when the Golden Eagles went 8-6 and missed out on the playoffs by one game.
Rounding out the division is Beach Channel, which was 9-7 in the A division last year and lost to Francis Lewis, 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs, and Far Rockaway, which was 0-14 last year.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
