FIRST ROUND: Clinton 8Midwood – 5
Bob Miller is excited about what kind of player Miguel Vasquez can become.
“He’s a tremendous athlete,” the Clinton head coach said. “He can pretty much do anything we ask him to.”
Yesterday, Miller asked the sophomore to do quite a bit and he answered each challenge.
“I knew I could do the job,” Vasquez said. “I like doing a little bit of everything.”
That’s what he did as eighth-seeded Clinton held on to beat No. 25 Midwood, 8-5, in The Bronx in the first round of the PSAL playoffs. After the game was postponed by rain Wednesday with Midwood up 1-0 in the second, the Hornets were forced to make another two-hour trip to The Bronx and didn’t get anything going yesterday until late in the game. The Governors (23-8) advanced to play No. 9 Madison at Clinton today.
Clinton entered the sixth with a seemingly commanding 6-1 lead, but the Hornets (15-18) rallied in the top of the sixth before Miller summoned Vasquez.
“There wasn’t really that much pressure,” Vasquez said. “I’ve closed games before and I knew I could do it again.”
Vasquez surrendered a bloop single to make the score 6-5, but stopped the four-run Midwood rally with Clinton still in the lead by inducing a groundout and then retired the side in order in the seventh. For now, Miller said Vasquez is better suited to being a reliever than a starting pitcher but his real strength is playing shortstop. He’s the best defensive player on the team and a solid hitter.
“He was even thinking about playing football, but he decided against it,” Miller said. “I’m glad he did.
Vasquez, who throws in the low 80s, reached base all four times at the plate and scored the Governors’ first run when he stole home in the bottom of the second.
After Midwood closed to within one in the sixth, Clinton’s Amil Nunez gave the Governors some breathing room with a two-run double in the bottom of the inning. Vasquez made sure the lead held up.