Go BCC Blue Jays!: Blue Jays finish with a Flourish

The Blue Jays approached the fall season finale with enthusiasm, focus, and commitment to teamwork.

The game with the Orioles at Tilden Middle School on Sunday, October 15, would be their final opportunity to play together until Spring 2018.

Don't let the friendly smiles fool you. This team entered the game with steely resolve.

Players enjoyed one another's company.

They willingly accepted hard coaching.

They locked in and paid attention from beginning to end.

EVERY player contributed to the complete performance that was to come!

October 15 Game Report

Jacob Carle put all five tools on display in an astonishingly good all-around showing! He smashed line drive doubles to left field in the first and second innings that sent the opposing fielders halfway to Gaithersburg in order to retrieve the ball! Those hits almost certainly would have been inside-the-park homers if the coaches had allowed Jacob to continue to run.

A lynchpin at any position in the Blue Jays' lineup, Jacob completed an unassisted put-out on a ground ball to 1st base in the bottom of the first inning. Showing off his versatility in the bottom of the third, Jacob ranged to his right from the left pitcher's helper position, nabbed a slow roller near the 3rd base line, and alertly tagged out the runner who was attempting to score.

Brody Gottfried accelerated his rate of development by geometric proportions in the season's second half. Above, Brody stands on 1st base after reaching safely for the second time in Sunday's game. We were particularly impressed with his first at bat. Brody sized up a pitch on the outer half of the plate and took it the other way for an opposite field single down the 3rd base line. That's an impressive accomplishment for a five year old lefty hitter!

Brody continued his streak of solid defensive performances in the game with the Orioles. Above, he stands ready at the left shortstop position, where he shuffled to his left and inhaled a grounder in the bottom of the second. Earlier, Brody hauled in a well hit ball in left field and immediately turned and threw to 3rd base, very nearly completing a force play from the outfield!

Noah Solovey's legs might have been a little sore on Sunday night. That can happen when you go 3-for-3 and spend the bulk of the afternoon running around the bases! Noah made quick work of each at-bat, seeing the ball well and hitting it hard to the left side of the infield. We only wish that we had kept track of RBIs. Batting sixth in the order with lots of runners on base, Noah was a beacon of offensive production.

Noah's performance at Friday's practice earned him an opportunity to play at right pitcher's helper in Sunday's game. As he demonstrates in the photo above, Noah was ready for the ball on every pitch. He also did a great job in the outfield in the first and second innings.

The fall season will be remembered as the one in which Dominic Delgado added power to his already impressive contact rate. Above, he slams an opposite-field line drive that would not stop until it reached the grass in right field. Dominic would later leg out a grounder up the middle and crush a grounder to center field.

Dominic enters the offseason knowing that he left it all on the field in the final game of 2017. Above, he crouches in ready position at left pitcher's helper, where he made what might have been the play of the year in the bottom of the first. He fielded a hot grounder, spun and threw perfectly to 3rd base, erasing the lead runner. That was a heady and well executed baseball play! He later completed two unassisted put-outs at 1st base and topped it off with an unassisted force-out at 3rd base from the left field position. What a day!

Already a natural power hitter, Adam Farber increased his rate of contact throughout the fall campaign. Hitting in the fifth spot in the order, Adam drove in at least three runs in the season's final game. His scorching grounder to center field in the top of the second inning was particularly impressive.

Adam was at the center of the action in the infield. Above, he stands ready at the right pitcher's helper position, where he stopped a half-dozen grounders in their tracks! Following several near put-outs, Adam got the job done in the top of the second inning, scooping up a groundball and delivering a perfect throw to 1st base to notch an infield assist.

In the photo above, Josh Porter levels his swing and rips a solid hit to the left side of the infield in the top of the second inning. Josh flashes good speed on the base paths; his wheels make him a threat to reach base every time he makes contact.

We loved watching Josh progress at 3rd base in the bottom of the third inning. Above, he focuses on the batter and - before the ball is hit - thinks about the play that he needs to make. After a couple of tries, Josh positioned himself perfectly on the bag to receive a throw from the left pitcher's helper on a force-out attempt. He also made a great decision on a "tweener," going for the ball that was hit down the 3rd base line and attempting to make the force play unassisted.

Milen Hukmani appears to have enjoyed his 3-for-3 day at the plate. Batting clean-up in the Blue Jays' offensive juggernaut, Milen stroked singles in the first and third innings. In the top of the second, he put a surge in a fat pitch, blasting a double to the grass in left field. Milen's extra-base hit was one of at least five that were generated by Blue Jays' bats in the season-ending game!

Milen was masterful at both corners of the infield! Above, he puts the finishing touches on an unassisted put-out at 3rd base in the bottom of the first inning. Earlier, he had teamed up with the left pitcher's helper to execute a beautiful assisted force-out that eliminated the opponent's lead runner. In the bottom of the third, Milen picked a thrown ball out of the dirt and kept his foot on the 1st base bag to complete an assisted put-out. This guy was an out-making machine!

Ethan Chu cranked out three solid hits from the tenth spot in the Blue Jays' batting order. Above, Ethan prepares to run at 1st base after sending a single down the 3rd base line in the top of the second inning. Ethan saw the ball well and made quick contact in each trip to the plate in the season finale.

A player who always seems to have a smile on his face, Ethan elicited grins from the Blue Jays' cheering section when he stopped a well hit ball in right field and returned it rapidly to the infield in the bottom of the first inning. In the bottom of the third, Ethan aggressively charged groundballs at left shortstop and did not wait for the ball to come to him.

Luke Kavounas made good contact and drove in some big runs from the ninth spot in the batting order. He pulled two grounders to the right side of the infield and slammed a clean base hit up the middle.

Luke turned in an outstanding effort with the glove on both sides of the field. In the bottom of the second inning, he completed an unassisted put-out at 3rd base, something of which he has made a habit over two seasons. Luke added an infield assist in the bottom of the third, gloving a groundball at right shortstop and tossing it on time to beat the runner at 1st base.

At Friday's practice, Niara Gupta reported that she had spent some time hitting pitches "from a machine" at "a place." We assume this means that she had been working on her swing at a batting cage, the prospect of which warms our hearts! Niara's well-honed skills came in handy on Sunday. She spent little time putting the ball in play in each of three plate appearances to give the Blue Jays a finishing kick in the top half of every inning.

Niara was ready for anything at right shortstop in the bottom of the first inning. One inning later, she played at 2nd base, where she has excelled throughout the season. We were impressed by the way she went after the ball when it was hit near her and covered the bag when the batted balls were hit elsewhere. Niara's Baseball IQ took a great leap forward during the short fall season.

Clark Roggie set the table for the Blue Jays with a leadoff base hit in each inning. Our favorite was the line shot that he laced past the 1st baseman on its way to the grass in right field in the top of the second. Clark muscled a single to the right shortstop in the first and delivered a knock up the middle in the third.

Clark did not miss a beat when covering the bag at 2nd base in the bottom of the first. Above, he positions himself in anticipation of catching a throw from a teammate. Clark stopped multiple grounders at left pitcher's helper in the top of the second. Even better, he made good decisions, throwing to 3rd base when he had force-out opportunities and throwing to 1st base when that was the only play to be made.

Following their fantastic performance, the Blue Jays assembled in the straightest handshake line we've seen this season!

They then congratulated the Orioles, the opposition in both the season opener and the finale. Both coaches agreed that the improvement in quality of play was astounding!

Thanks a Million!

Eric Delgado did everything for this team at each practice and game. The head coach tends to get more credit than he deserves. Eric tends not to get the recognition that he deserves. Therefore, we recognize him here.

Thanks so much, Eric, for all that you did to make the fall season a great one for the Blue Jays!

Navin Hukmani pitched in once again, lending his well honed 3rd base coaching skills to the Blue Jays' cause. We would imagine that Navin's arm might be a little sore after waving so many runners home to score!

Eric Carle provided sage advice to base runners from the 1st base coaching box. A veteran baseball man, Eric imparted wisdom to the parade of Blue Jays that paid him a visit during Sunday's game.

Evan Gottfried is becoming a mainstay as the Blue Jays' bench coach. The only thing we need now is a bench! Some day, Evan will be able to fulfill his duties amid the plush comfort of authentic aluminum.

Peter Kavounas assisted in organizing the players on the "bench" prior to the game. There is simply no more important job in the BCC National League.

Monica Hukmani brought the Krispy Kreme doughnuts for the post-game festivities. The head coach typically demurs upon receiving offers to partake in the post-game snack. He makes an exception when the Hukmani Family serves up the Krispy Kreme.