By Dylan Butler
It was only two weeks, but it might as well have been two years for Robert Boland.
After hyperextending his right ankle on a slide home, the ace of the Christ the King pitching staff has sat on the bench — even during the Royals’ four games in Florida last week — anxiously counting down the days until his return.
That day came Monday in the second round of the Monroe tournament, and Boland took out his frustration on John Adams, masterfully pitching a complete-game two-hitter in a 7-1 win at Taft High School in the Bronx.
“I loved it. It felt great,” Boland said about returning to the mound. “I knew they’re a good hitting team, and I know I can’t fall behind them.”
And he didn’t.
Consistently painting the outside corner of the plate with a lively fastball, Boland got in front of just about every batter, striking out 10 while walking just two to hand John Adams (19-1-2) its first loss of the year.
Boland carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but Freddy Para’s bloop single fell between three Christ the King players in left-center field.
“I was very concerned. In the third inning he looked to be laboring with his ankle,” said Christ the King coach Walter Tuthill. “But he’s got a lot of heart and determination.”
Added John Adams coach Glenn Beyer: “He got ahead and stayed ahead. He shut down a quality hitting team.”
John Adams hurler Johnny Lluberes was solid as well, giving up just four hits through five innings. But Christ the King (8-5) capitalized on a pair of errors, as Mike Maloney hit a two-run single to right-center field and Rafael Lajera’s sacrifice fly scored Elvin Millan to give the Royals a 3-0 lead.
“We gave up the first out, which is big, and then we gave up another out,” Beyer said. “We knew it would come down to that. Give them the credit there.”
After scratching across another run in the sixth inning off reliever Louis Gioppo, Christ the King tacked on three insurance runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by Millan’s solo homer to right-center field.
Lehman 6, Cardozo 1. Mike Errigo allowed four runs — two unearned — in six innings, striking out 10 for Cardozo (9-6) in the second round of the Monroe tournament. Bryan Beniquez was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and allowed one unearned run while striking out seven in seven innings for Lehman (14-2).
Cardozo 8, Walton 6. Danny Rosenbluth struck out six through six innings, Errigo fanned the side in the seventh, and John DiLorenzo have five RBIs for the Judges in the first round of the Monroe tournament.
John Adams 2, Alfred E. Smith 1. Lucas Tellado went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, and Xavier Carpio struck out six and gave up three hits for the Spartans in the first round of the Monroe tournament.
Long Island City 9, Grover Cleveland 4. Luis Tavares pitched a complete-game five-hitter with 12 strikeouts, and Jason Lopez had two hits and two runs scored to lead LIC (7-6, 1-5 Queens West A) in the nightcap of a doubleheader.
Grover Cleveland 7, Long Island City 6. Mike Boothby scored on an error in the eighth inning to cap a seven-run rally for Grover Cleveland (8-1, 3-1 Queens West A) in the opener of the twin bill. Jesus Varela’s two-out double tied the game in the seventh inning.
Francis Lewis 8, Van Buren 0. Peter Stein went 3-for-4 and Steve Merslich tossed a four-hitter with 12 strikeouts for Francis Lewis (8-1, 3-0 Queens East A) in the nightcap of a doubleheader.
Francis Lewis 23, Van Buren 2. Stein was 3-for-3 with four runs scored, and Mike Guarnieri was 3-for-4 and pitched a two-hitter with nine strikeouts for the Patriots in the opener.
Monsignor McClancy 21, Holy Cross 5. The surprise Crusaders improved to 3-1 in league play with a blowout win over the Knights Monday. Kevin Conlin got the win on the mound, while Cathedral Prep transfer Vinny Johnson provided the offense, pounding out three hits and driving home three runs.
Monsignor McClancy 8, Holy Cross 3. David Copello had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI to support Crusaders starter Peter Massaro who allowed just six hits in going the distance. McClancy improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in league play with the win.
St. Francis Prep 11, Xaverian 4. Sean Sciretta had four hits, including two doubles for St. Francis Prep and pitcher Dan Weinman hurled complete game for Prep, now 8-3 overall and 3-2 in CHSAA action.
Holy Cross 7, Archbishop Molloy 3. The Knights picked up their first league win behind a strong performance from starter Anthony Bruno, who gave up just three hits and three runs through six innings. Mike Williams had two hits and three RBIs, while Charlie Gill added two hits and two runs scored.
Xaverian 12, St. Francis Prep 6. The Terriers fell to the Clippers, as Danny Palacias had a single, double and triple and Thomas Larkin added three hits and four RBIs.
St. Francis Prep 9, Holy Cross 4. Steven Eng fanned five through five innings and Sean Sciretta belted two hits and had an RBI for the Terriers.
Archbishop Molloy 16, St. Edmund Prep 8. Molloy was led by Nick Derba and Mike Sporton, who each drove in three. Jovon Santos picked up the win in relief for the Stanners.
Archbishop Molloy 3, Xaverian 2. Shaun Chang’s RBI-single in the fourth brought home the game-winning run for the Stanners, who were led Mike Montali’s stellar outing on the mound, striking out seven.
— Anthony Bosco contributed to this story
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 1-718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
