Bats Come Alive for Dolphins

Palisades High Baseball Team Stays Undefeated in League With Pair of Wins

A sign hanging from the right field fence at George Robert Field reads: ‘Defense Wins Championships.’ And that has been the credo for the Palisades High baseball team all season: get solid pitching and play good defense. Lately, though, the Dolphins have added ‘timely hitting’ to their winning formula and the result has been resounding victories over Palisades’ two toughest Western League opponents. After eking out a 1-0 victory against defending league champion Venice last Tuesday, the Dolphins’ bats came alive in last Thursday’s 13-11 come-from-behind victory over the host Gondos that gave Pali a three-game lead in the standings. An 8-3 win over visiting Westchester on Monday was further proof that the pinstripes are swinging hot bats. ‘This was a big win for us but we can’t be too confident,’ said PaliHi third baseman Manny Perez, who went four-for-four with five RBIs against the Comets. ‘We know we can beat every team in our league, but they can beat us too if we’re not careful.’ There was no beating Geoff Schwartz on Monday. Pali’s senior ace, who shut out Venice in his previous outing, had control problems early but settled down to pitch a four-hitter with six strikeouts en route to his fourth victory of the season. He retired the Comets in order in two of the last three innings. ‘This game was a bit unusual in that I started off really cold and I got behind,’ Schwartz said. ‘But my teammates got me the lead back right away and from then on it was mine to win.’ After Westchester took a 1-0 lead on back-to-back hits in the top of the fourth inning, Pali responded in the bottom half of the frame. Perez led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Turhan Folse. Perez took third on a throwing error, Matt Skolnik struck out and David Bromberg walked and stole second, setting the stage for the key hit of the game. Up to the plate stepped pinch-hitter Steve Nirenberg, who belted a high fast ball into center field for a double that gave the Dolphins a lead they would never relinquish. ‘I’m determined to get hits,’ Nirenberg said. ”I lost my job [in right field] and I’m hungry to get it back. With two strikes I was just looking to protect the plate. I got a pitch I liked and made a nice, smooth swing.’ Nirenberg said he benefited from advice he received from ex-major leaguer Reggie Smith in practice the week before. ‘Reggie Smith helped me out a lot. He told me to keep my head still and that’s what I’ve been working on in the cage. Practice pays off.’ Palisades (12-3 overall, 7-0 in league) broke the game open in the fifth inning when Perez lined the first pitch he saw over the center field fence for a three-run home run. ‘My plan was to hit it hard the opposite way,’ he said. ‘If you go up there looking to hit a homer, you’ll mess up. I just wanted to make solid contact. I got a fast ball the opposite way and went with it. I didn’t think it was out but it kept going.’ Westchester plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the sixth. Pali, showing the confidence of a team that has won 12 of its last 13 games, responded when Perez singled to score Kevin Seto and Adam Franks with the final runs. ‘Clutch-hitting is what has done it for us these last few games,’ Pali co-coach Tom Seyler said. ‘Steve [Nirenberg] did it again. That’s twice we’ve pulled him off the bench and he’s come up with a big hit. Manny has been great all season, both in the field and at the plate, and today he was huge. He gets the game ball.’ Seyler was concerned about a letdown in the Dolphins’ rematch with Venice last Thursday and for the first five innings it appeared the host Gondos might exact revenge for their loss two days before. But the Dolphins exploded for eight runs in the sixth inning, capped by David Bromberg’s two-out grand slam on a 3-2 pitch. Bromberg relieved starter Andrew Strassner in the fifth inning and struck out two batters to survive a five-run Venice rally in the seventh inning. Palisades travels to Westchester today and continues league play with games against University next Tuesday and Thursday.