Baseball

Empire Zone

Liberty’s Evan Kirsch first-ever Sullivan County player chosen for team at the Empire State Games

By RICHARD A. ROSS

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — Athletic milestones are always big news. So when a local player makes it to another level, it grabs headlines. Excelling on your high school team is one thing. But being selected as one of the best baseball players from the region, including Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties, is a whole other matter.

So imagine the excitement felt by Liberty’s Evan Kirsch when his successful tryout led to his selection as one of the 20 scholastic baseball players representing the Hudson Valley for the upcoming Empire State Games in Binghamton from July 24 through 27.

According to Mike Marra, former baseball coach of the NCJCAA Region XV champion Sullivan County Community College baseball team, Kirsch is the first Sullivan County athlete to make it onto the Empire State Games baseball squad.

Kirsch joined upward of 50 other baseball players at a tryout at Marist College on June 21. Meanwhile, literally hundreds of other players were trying out at other venues at Westchester County Community College, Fishkill and at Somers High School on six other days.

Playing in the Empire State Games is something many athletes can only dream about. But playing for the Hudson Valley Team coached by Dutchess County Community College’s Steve Grellar is beyond the pale.

For the past two years, Hudson Valley has been the silver medalist, coming up short against Long Island in both 2006 and 2007. Last year, Long Island won the gold medal game by the score of 12-6.

Kirsch, a dominant right-handed pitcher, one of the nine hurlers who will don the Hudson Valley uniform, hopes he can help the team keep up its storied tradition. Hudson Valley won it all in 1991. Marra, who knows Grellar from his collegiate coaching over the past three years, recommended Kirsch as a viable prospect. As it turns out, many of this year’s pitching prospects were lefties and the need for a righty with electric stuff made this a good year for Kirsch to angle for a spot.

In addition, the recently selected Times Herald-Record second-team All-Star sports a powerful stick to go with his live arm. Kirsch manned first base and batted an outlandish .557 with three home runs and 30 RBI for the Indians this past season. While his power numbers were not as pronounced as teammate Trevor Tompkins, another second-team Times Herald-Record All-Star, who had 10 home runs and 42 RBI, Kirsch’s pitching prowess made him a prime choice for the team, which will need to play six games in the short span of three days.

“It’s truly an honor to be selected,” said Kirsch, just before taking the field for the Sullivan County Rangers Post 315 team against Binghamton on July 4. “A lot of hard work and training has finally paid off,” he said. “You see a lot of really talented kids at those tryouts.”

Kirsch said that there were 150 at just one of the tryouts held in June.

“I was very fortunate. Normally, they’re looking for a lefty but this year they needed right-handed arms.”

Marra, who will be coaching at Monticello High School beginning this school year, often scouted the region for recruits when he was heading up SCCC’s program. He knows talent when he sees it.

“I thought he was proficient enough,” said Marra, referring to his recommendation to Grellar.

“Coach Marra told me I could probably play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) or in the America East Conference,” said Kirsch, who is entering his senior year. The Empire State Games will draw a gaggle of college coaches, scouting the best players in New York State.

Kirsch is looking forward to a couple of practices before the games begin that will include a scrimmage against the Pace University team.

The Liberty standout views baseball as a year-round venture. Working relentlessly at Pro Prospects, Kirsch has Steve Pinto helping him with his pitching mechanics and developing a number of other pitches to go along with his fastball that is finally showing much more movement. “Steve fine tunes everything,” Kirsch says.

Jed Carrier helps Kirsch with his batting. Both men counsel his exercise and weight-lifting regimen, designed to strengthen the small muscles in the shoulder. There are squat thrusts and miles of running and, of course, the requisite icing and down time needed to help the body heal and strengthen.

This past year, Kirsch shed 35 pounds.

At a recent meeting of Hudson Valley players held at Roy C. Ketcham High School, Grellar told the players, “This is an experience you’ll remember for the rest of your lives. This is one of the best teams you’ll ever play on.”

Kirsch remained humble about the experience and the honor. “Some of these kids are absolutely phenomenal. I’m happy to be a part of it all and I can’t wait to get there,” he said with a grin. Happy to be going and deadly serious about doing his best, Kirsch knows this is a remarkable opportunity to showcase his talent on the biggest of stages.

Keep a close watch on riverreportersports.com and The River Reporter for updates on Kirsch and the Hudson Valley Scholastic baseball team’s quest.