A Season For Carlesi

The Stuyvesant boys’ varsity baseball team, the Peglegs, finished 9-5, second in their division last year. The Peglegs enter this season looking to take the next step with their goal being securing first place. But the Peglegs’ drive this season is not motivated solely by a desire to compete for a championship. They’ll be entering this season with the late Stuyvesant varsity baseball Coach John Carlesi in their minds, with several players making it their objective to make this a season in tribute to him. 

“Coach Carlesi, who was a key part of the baseball program for so many years, died, so we are going to play as well as we can to honor his memory,” junior and pitcher/first baseman Grady Bausch said. Bausch’s determination to make this season special to honor Carlesi is a desire shared by several other figures on the team. Former junior varsity baseball coach and new varsity head coach Ryan Meehan said, “Stuyvesant baseball meant the world to Coach Carlesi. The baseball program was more than just a program, it was family.” It is undeniable how impactful the passing of Coach Carlesi has been to the close-knit Peglegs, and it has put the season into a completely new perspective. 

But the Peglegs do still have a talented roster considering they finished second last season. A big factor that contributed to the team’s success last year was their ability to grind out games scheduled back-to-back, a testament to the team’s resilience and perseverance. It is worth noting, however, that the team has lost several experienced players from last year’s squad which may make it more difficult to just simply grind out games. 

Junior and pitcher Jacob Mui expressed optimism about the season ahead. “We have a young team this year and I’m excited to see what the season has in store for us,” Mui said. His outlook on the season ahead was clearly substantiated in the Peglegs’ first game of the season against the reigning division champions, Beacon High School.

The Peglegs pulled away with the win in a 4–3 seven-inning thriller against Beacon. Bausch was a commanding presence on the mound throughout the entire seven innings while mitigating Beacon’s offensive firepower from the very first pitch of the game. Stuyvesant was able to score first in the opening inning with an impressive run batted in by junior and infielder Everett Yu-Dawidowicz, who was also able to score again to tie the game in the third inning A run batted in is a statistic that gives credit to a batter for creating a play that results in a score. The defining moment of the game came in the fifth inning when a strong duo performance by Bausch and junior and catcher William Hajdu ignited a two-run rally by junior and pitcher/infielder Caroline Tham that tipped the game over to the Peglegs. Junior and infielder Millan Bisegna also impressed in his debut for the Peglegs through his energy and speed between the bases.

The win against Beacon was a statement win for the Peglegs and exactly what they needed to kick off the season. The Peglegs boast a young roster that certainly needs more time to gel, but nevertheless a win against the division champions is an encouraging sign for a team that has championship aspirations. Even so, the Peglegs continue marching on as they make it their goal this season to honor Coach Carlesi.