Lehman walks off disappointed. (Damion Reid)
Adam Droz walked right to an emotional Tyler Gurman and put his arm around him. For a few moments, even with Tottenville in the midst of a wild celebration behind them, it was just the Lehman coach and his senior pitcher.
“You went out there and gave it your all,” Droz told him. “Hold your head up high. You’re a champion, too.”
Gurman, the team’s unquestioned leader, pitched brilliantly through nine innings. He held the Pirates’ potent offense, considered the deepest in the league, scoreless and to just three hits.
But in the 10th, George Kantzian tagged him for a double to left field to start the frame. Joe Sessa then dropped down a perfect bunt in front of the plate. Gurman fielded the ball and threw high to first allowing the winning run to score in No. 8 Lehman’s heartbreaking 1-0 lost to third-seeded Tottenville in the PSAL Class A baseball final at MCU Park Friday.
“It was a little wet,” Gurman said of the ball. “No excuse though. … I thought it was going to be a routine play.”
The ball and the game weren’t going to be taken from his hands as he matched Tottenville ace John Silva nearly pitch for pitch. Gurman, who shutdown Tottenville in the Monroe Tournament in April, said he felt stronger as the game went on and only began feeling sore after it ended. He struck out three and walked five.
“I could throw another five innings,” he said. “There was no way I was coming out of that game.”
The finish was an unceremonious end to a performance that epitomized the determined Lions (18-5, who upset No. 1 Monroe and No. 4 James Madison in the previous two rounds.
The game could have easily ended in the eighth when Kevin Krause hit a ball back up the middle for the Pirates (22-1) with two outs and the bases loaded. Instead Lehman shortstop Jhosse Estrella slid on his knees to track the ball down and registered the force at second, just ahead of the on-rushing Thomas Kain.
“I read the ball off the bat,” Estrella said. “I just went hard. All I wanted to do was knock the ball down.”
Estrella credited the Lehman defense with keeping it in the game. Catcher Andy Ramos threw out a runner trying to steal second in the ninth and first baseman Laurence Marasch made a sliding catch in foul ground in the seventh. What the Tigers lacked was the big hit, as Silva allowed just two hits, stranded eight runners, and struck out 10.
“We hit our way into championship game and of course the closest game all year we couldn’t hit anything,” Gurman said.
Lehman loaded the bases with one out in the second and could not score as Felix Fernandez and Marsach struck out. In the top of the eighth, Gurman and Ramos walked to lead off the inning, but Gabriel Pena could not get the bunt down and flew out to center. Estrella would then line into a double play.
“We had our opportunities,” Droz said.
They had a chance to put a fitting cap to a memorable season that included the two upsets and the program’s first championship game berth since 2002. Gurman was such a big part of the run, winning three playoff games on the mound, and producing in the middle of the order with his dangerous bat.
“He has been our leader since day one,” Estrella said. “He came out today and pitched his heart out. We have to let him know we have his back 100 percent no matter what.”