English High snags third-straight Boston City League baseball championship on Jaurel Melo's game-saving catch
Latin's shortstop, Junior Carderon, laced the ball in Melo's direction — a full three feet above the third baseman's head — but jumping off one foot and reaching up, Melo made the acrobatic grab to help preserve a 6-4 English victory.
'He actually put on about 22 pounds of muscle this offseason,' English coach Christian Ortiz said of Melo. 'When he jumped and he caught that, the kids called me over and said 'That looks like the deadlift jump squats that we do.' That was pretty cool they put that correlation together.'
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The catch didn't fully secure the win for the Blue & Blue (16-5), but it generated momentum, which English carried into the last frame to finish off a BCL three-peat. Juan Ferrand notched an RBI single in the top of the seventh for an insurance run and Manny De Jesus finished the job, inducing a final groundout to second base.
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'The boys knew what the season was about,' Ortiz said. 'We've had some seniors who've been part of the first two, and they did a great job of molding and creating that culture for the new guys to come in here and accomplish it.'
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English starter Luis Mejia was named MVP after pitching four innings and ripping an RBI double.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
English's starting pitcher, Luis Mejia, was on a roll for the first four innings, allowing one run while controlling the zone with his curveball, until an infield error allowed Nathan Bonilla to reach in the top of the fifth.
The mistakes began to pile up. Following Nuri Gutman's single to put runners on the corners, a passed ball allowed Bonilla to score. A Theo Dehner sacrifice fly brought Gutman home, and Callum Burns worked a bases-loaded walk to make it 5-4.
That's when Ortiz pulled Mejia and replaced him with De Jesus.
'[The message was] just full support, throw strikes, and go get 'em,' De Jesus said. 'Finish the job.'
The pitching change worked, as De Jesus hurled the final 2 ⅓ innings without allowing an earned run.
Armanis Romero (left) is congratulated as he gets back to the dugout after racing around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Senior Armanis Romero's inside-the-park home run in the top of the fourth gave English a comfortable lead until Latin's comeback attempt fell short.
With an RBI double in the top of the third — in addition to his performance on the mound, which included three strikeout — Mejia won MVP honors.
'We have to keep doing the same job, just stay consistent and keep moving forward,' De Jesus said. 'We still have [the] state [tournament].'
Boston 05/24/2025 Latin Academy vs English in the Boston City League baseball Championship at BC. English celebrates their win, as they surround Luis Cruz (left). John Tlumacki/Boston Globe Staff
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Boston 05/24/2025 Latin Academy vs English in the Boston City League baseball Championship at BC. English's Armanis Romero rounds 3rd base after his in the park homer. John Tlumacki/Boston Globe Staff
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Boston 05/24/2025 Latin Academy vs English in the Boston City League baseball Championship at BC. Latin's Nathan Bonilla is upset at the end of the game in which his team lost. John Tlumacki/Boston Globe Staff
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
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