Schwartz and the sophomores step up for Bellmore JFK

Mike Schwartz is probably having the best year out of anybody.

So says his assistant coach Glenn Bedell. Even Schwartz couldn’t have imagined that.

“It’s a little surprising, considering it’s my first year on varsity,” said Schwartz, the Cougars’ sophomore centerfielder, who is one of the team leaders with a batting average over .400 with eight doubles. “With the team around me, I knew we’d be good because the talent level we have is pretty high.”

Schwartz was right. The Cougars (12-5-1) won the Conference A-I title after Carey dropped Monday’s League A-I game to South Side, 7-4, Bellmore JFK coach Eric Passman said.

“I think when we lost a lot of players due to injuries, the kids got closer,” Passman said. “It was a next man up type of attitude. We were able to overcome that adversity.”

John Austin Emory and Justin Ganca, two seniors, played a major role in that, especially in the two wins over Carey in the two team’s three-game set earlier this season.

Austin Emory went 2-for-3 with three RBIs in the Cougars’ 4-2 win over the Seahawks on March 27 and Ganca followed that up with two hits and three RBIs in Bellmore JFK’s 10-5 win on April 6.

“This is the best team I’d say I’ve been on,” said Ganca, who plays right field and first base. “It’s an exciting group of guys. A lot of the younger kids and the role players have stepped up and are doing what they need to do.”

Besides Schwartz, Passman has leaned on these sophomores to get the job done at their respective positions: pitchers Eric Gossert and Jonah Zeitlin, catcher/designated hitter John Strawa, catcher Reid Oreste and first baseman George Savas.

“In the past, we’ve had success with the senior-laden teams,” said Passman, who saw junior right-hander Joe Corrao (back) and designated hitter Kelvin Pabon (hand) go down with injuries early in the season. “When we brought up the sophomores, we weren’t sure how they were going to handle it. They adjusted very well.”

Especially Schwartz, who also has three wins. The lefthander pitched five no-hit innings, striking out eight and walking three in the Cougars’ 4-1 win over South Side on April 17.

He then pitched 4 2/3 scoreless no-hit innings, striking out 10 and walking three, while going 3-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs in Bellmore JFK’s 8-0 win over New Hyde Park on April 1.

Not bad for a ball club on its bye week awaiting the seeding for the postseason.